


Same Thing We Did Last Week

by Jenny Lynne (jenny_lynne)



Series: Same Thing Verse [1]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012) RPF, Supernatural RPF, Veronica Mars RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Bad Boy Jared, Bottom Jensen, First Kiss, First Time, Hate to Love, Jared is Hyde, Jensen is Jackie, Jerk Jared, M/M, Motorcycles, Over-Achiever Jensen, Rich Jensen, Secret Relationship, Slutty Jared, Smoker Jared, Snobby Jensen, Top Jared, inspired by that 70s show, mechanic Jared, my first sex scene, poor Jared, slutty matt, sucky parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-18
Updated: 2018-04-18
Packaged: 2019-04-24 12:06:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 30,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14355105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jenny_lynne/pseuds/Jenny%20Lynne
Summary: Jared and Jensen. They live in completely opposite worlds. Stuck in a small, nowhere town.Jared's the broken, bad boy from the wrong side of town. Jensen's the class president, on prom committee, in Drama Club, and the son of the richest, secretly dysfunctional family in town.The disdain between themm is palatable.But when one of Jared's best friends breaks Jensen's heart, a bewildered Jared becomes an unwilling friend and champion.





	1. prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Beta'd by the awesome Candygramme.
> 
> While inspired by "That 70s Show" and some scenes may be quite similar, this story and the characters took on a life of their own.
> 
> Title taken from "That 70s Show" theme song:
> 
> "Hanging out  
> Down the street  
> The same old thing  
> We did last week
> 
> Not a thing to do  
> But talk to you"

In the beginning there had been Stephen. He gave Jared a Twinkie every day to protect him from a bully on the walk home from school. Emily was Stephen's next door neighbor and once she got over her punching-boys-on-the-way-home-from-school phase, the three of them became inseparable. Though if you were to ask, Jared would say he only stuck around because Stephen's mom made the best cookies.

Jared's not sure how they ended up with Matt. He showed up in second grade and No matter what Jared did or said, Matt burrowed his way into their lives like a hookworm.

Emily's cousin, Misha, arrived a few years ago. He seems harmless and Jared appreciates his offbeat humor.

Stephen's basement has become their Sacred Fortress of Solitude. No girls allowed. Except Emily,  but she's always been one of the guys.

When they began hitting puberty, they came to an agreement that the Fortress would be PDA free. No boyfriends or girlfriends allowed.

Then Stephen realized Emily was a girl and Emily discovered Stephen was way more interesting than other boys. Still the PDA rule stood. When Stephen and Emily started their awkward dating phase, the most they did was hold hands when anyone else was in the basement.

Everything was going fine. 

Then came Jensen.


	2. part I

The Amell basement isn't anything fancy. One could barely call it finished. There's two doors -- one at the top of steps leading into the house and one at the bottom of steps leading to the backyard. There's a washer, a dryer and a chest freezer all in 70's avocado green at the bottom of the stairs to the house. Shelves line the walls with forgotten games, sports equipment and hobbies. There's a 22" color TV from before flat screens were available with a relatively new portable DVD player sitting on a pink flowered girl's desk. Facing it are a patio chair, a sofa rescued from someone's curb, and a recliner held together with duct tape. Between them is a wagon wheel coffee table that it took four of them to move.

Matt is practically sucking Jensen's tonsils into his mouth. They are in danger of flipping the ratty recliner. Everyone else is pointedly ignoring them while they make a sincere attempt to watch the end of _Wheel of Fortune_. Misha, Stephen and Emily shout guesses, sometimes goofy, ridiculous ones.

Stephen's sitting on the back of the shabby old couch with Emily sitting between his legs. He's absently playing with her long blond hair. Misha's sitting cross-legged on the floor using the wagon wheel coffee table. He's invested in an intense game of UNO. With himself. Jared's in the patio chair opposite the recliner with his boots on the table. He's just biding time until they go to the movies.

They are a mix-matched bunch -- Stephen, the youngest child of a nurse and a grocery store owner who'd been a scrawny nerd until he wanted to impress Emily and now he was a well-built nerd; Emily, the only child of a used car salesman and a mother who's off searching for herself, and who dreams of being an actress; Misha, the only child of a hippy mother who left his paranoid, survivalist father and who still hasn't quite adjusted to the world outside of the commune; Matt, the middle child of seven, who wants to be a model, a TV anchorman, or a spaceman someday; and Jared, the middle child of three by a neglectful mother and a dad who left 8 years ago and who just wants to get out of Riverside the minute he graduates.

Then there's Jensen, the interloper, the annoying snob of a boyfriend Matt has forced on them. Emily is always polite to him because they're in Drama Club together.  Jared pretty much thinks Matt is forcing them on a pretentious Jensen too.

Immediately after the winning contestant discovers she won a shiny new SUV, Jensen abruptly untangles himself from Matt's wandering hands and stands.

"Well, I have to go do my homework," Jensen says, running a hand through his short, spiky, dirty-blond hair.

"You do your homework on Saturday?" Stephen says. Even at his nerdiest, he never did his homework on a Saturday.

"Yeah," he says like it's the stupidest question ever.

"Why?" Jared's impressed by the amount of disdain in Stephen's tone. Stephen usually leaves that sort of thing to Jared. "I mean, look at me. I've got a thousand word term paper due Monday, but you don't see me sweating. I've got a whole crappy Sunday to do it."

Jensen rolls his eyes. "Yeah, but what if it takes longer than you think? If I don't finish my homework tonight, I still have Sunday. Meanwhile if you don't finish it on Sunday, you'll either be  pulling an all-nighter or you're screwed." Jensen says it like he's just called them all slackers, and yeah, Jared is a slacker but he's offended for the rest of them. So he huffs, but goes back to trying to ignore Jensen. Especially when he can feel Jensen's contemptuous glare boring into him from across the room.

" _Matthew_ , call me at nine." It's not a request. It never is.

"But I was gonna go to the movies with the guys," Matt wines.

"Without me?"

Matt nods. "No." Again, it's not a request. "Now walk me to the car." He grabs his jacket and heads to the door.

Jared can practically see him mentally tapping his foot in irritation. Jared shakes his head as Matt follows Jensen out the basement door up to the driveway.

"What a bitch." Emily makes a face as soon as the door is shut.

Jared laughs because it sounds unusually catty for her.

"What a wuss," Misha adds.

"Is it me or are they getting worse?" Stephen says.

"Yeah, someone needs to talk to Matt," Emily says.

When he realizes they're both looking pointedly at him, Jared scowls at them. "Hey, it's not _my_ basement."

"But you _are_ the one who loves being blunt and raining cynicism on everyone's parade," Misha says, his overly bright dark blue eyes studying Jared a moment before returning to his cards.

"Hey, I am not a cynic. I'm a realist," he replies.

"Riiiight," Stephen says. "Man, your realist views are totally skewed to the glass-half-empty side."

Jared frowns. "You only think that because for you the glass is always full."

"Uh- what?" Emily says.

"What she said," Stephen adds.

"He means optimists always see the glass as full no matter how much is in it and pessimists always see it pretty much empty. Realists see the glass as both," Misha says without looking up.

Jared shrugs and nods. It sounds like a mostly accurate explanation.

"Nevertheless, we still think you're the appropriate one to tell Matt to stop grossing everyone out," Misha adds.

***

Jensen leans against the car he shares with his older brother. "Your friends don't like me."

"Yeah...you don't like them," Matthew says with a shrug.

"Did you tell them that?" Jensen stands straighter, eyes narrowing.

"What? No."

"Good. Because you don't tell our private conversations to other people, Matthew. We-" Jensen gestures between the two of them. "-have to have our own private conversations."

Matthew's staring blankly at him and then seems to shrug it off. "I know, baby, I know. I'm sorry they don't like you. What'd you want me to do about it?"

Jensen sighs. "We need less time with them and more time with my friends and especially more time with just us." He's smoothing down the collar on Matt's shirt. His friends actually kind of like Matt -- or at least they're better at hiding their dislike.

"Oh yeah?" Matthew grins and lears at Jensen. "I'm always _up_ for more us time."

Jensen shoves him lightly. "That's not what I meant. It doesn't always have to be about that, Matthew."

Matthew looks good and chastised. "Yeah, I know...It's just you're so hot, baby. I just can't stop thinking about you, and you know, doing it with you."

Jensen cringes inside because he absolutely hates when Matthew calls it that. _Doing it_ is on his top ten list of things not to call having sex. Right up there with _screwing_ , _banging_ , and _fucking_ . There are much more romantic ways to say it like _making love_ , _giving themselves to each other_ , or _being intimate_.

"Yeah, I know, I think about you too," Jensen blushes, ducking his head and wrapping his arms around Matthew's waist. "But a relationship is more than about sex."

Matthew actually looks like he might argue.

"Trust me, abstinence will make the times we do make love, so much better."

"Well, I gotta confess, Jense, I think about doing it with you in your absence too and I don't usually stop at thinking."

Jensen sighs and rolls his eyes. He could explain how wrong that whole sentence is, but he's really got to get home.  "Okay, whatever. Just call me at nine. I promise I'll make it your while," he says wantonly suggestive.

"On the dot, I swear," Matthew says and leans in for another kiss and some petting.

***

Jared is about to argue about broaching the subject of Jensen with Matt, but Matt returns right at that moment looking disheveled with swollen lips. The image Jared's mind conjures makes him want to stab his mind's eye. So he sighs with resignation.

"Matt, how long are we going to have to deal with the whole 'Jensen' experience?" Jared even uses air quotes, something he usually mocks people for.

"Look, don't worry," Matt says nonchalantly. "I'm breaking up with him." He plops back into the recliner.

"Never gonna happen," Stephen says.

"Yeah," Jared agrees skeptically.

"It's over," Matt insists.

"You've been saying that for months," Emily says.

"No, really. Like that thing with the movie? He's cutting into my free time," Matt says.

"You mean your 'free to fuck around' time," Misha says without looking up, causing Jared to laugh.

"Well...yeah," Matt admits. "I'm always getting asked out."

"By who?" Emily says with disbelief.

"Well...Kristen Bell invited me to Adam Fischer's party," Matt says.

"Kristen Bell invited _me_ to Adam Fischer's party," Emily replies.

"Kristen Bell even invited _me_. I didn't think she knew I was alive," Misha says.

Jared doesn't bother to point out that Kristen also told him about the party, but he and Kristen -- well, they hooked up from time to time.

Jared and Stephen snicker.

Matt makes an indignant sound.

"So you just want to break up with him so you can fool around with someone else?" Emily sounds affronted and Jared can't blame her.

"Asshole," Jared condemns.

This is exactly why he doesn't do relationships. They get messy. Someone always gets hurt. He never makes any promises to whomever his interest of the week is and never expects promises either. That way he doesn't have to break any and he doesn't have to be disappointed.

"Wow, if the self-proclaimed asshole calls _you_ an asshole, you must be a total asshole," Stephen says.

"Stop saying asshole," Emily says.

The door to the house opens and Stephen's older sister, Danni, skips down the stairs. She's wearing a cropped top and shorts so tiny there's nothing left to imagine. She's got a laundry basket full of what appears to be panties and other unmentionables. Jared has never figured out how Stephen turned out so apple-pie normal when his sister is more white trash than Jared, who's grown up in the white trashiest part of town with the white trashiest mother in town.

Matt immediately stands and nervously wipes his hands on his jeans like a 12 year old boy with a crush. "Hi, Danni. I didn't know you were home this weekend."

Emily wrinkles her nose at the display.

Danni sets the basket on the dryer. She flips her long red hair over her shoulder as she turns to the room. "Yeah? My car's been in the driveway." She sounds patronizing but she's wearing a smirk Jared recognizes as "I know I look good and I would eat you up and spit you out."

"Danni, what are you _doing_ down here?" Stephen complains.

"Laundry, dumbass." Danni rolls her eyes.

"Well, hurry up and get out," he replies.

"So...Danni, how's college?" Matt walks over to the washer and dryer.

And that's Jared's cue to go. He stands, running a hand through his too long brown hair so it falls back in dishevelled waves. "I got something to do," he tells Stephen and Emily. "I'll meet you at the theater."

"Okay," Emily says and Stephen nods.

He grabs his worn biker's jacket from the back of the patio chair. As he passes Matt, he says, "Don't forget to call your _boyfriend_ , dumbass." He shoves Matt's head causing him to fall into the front of the dryer.

Matt glares at him but he just smirks and heads out the door to the driveway. He checks his pocket for his cigarettes but he won't smoke until he's down the street. Mrs. Amell doesn't like him smoking so he tries to never do it around their house.

Mrs. Amell is just coming out the side door with a large bag of trash.

"Here, Mrs. A, let me do that." He takes the bag from her and carries it to the garbage can in the back of the yard.

"Oh, Jay, you're a good boy," she says. He likes her. She's like a cross between Snow White and June Cleaver. She's everything his mom isn't.

"Only for you," he smiles and ducks his head.

"Oh, no, you _are_ ," she insists.

Jared shakes his head a little and doesn't reply.

She looks around. "I thought you were going to the movies. Where is everyone?"

"The basement. I'm gonna meet them later."

"Okay. You know if the movie runs too late, you're welcome to stay over. I'll put some clean sheets on the guest bed."

"You don't have to do that. If I end up crashing, I'll just take the couch in the basement."

"Don't be silly. I don't know how you kids can even sit on that thing with it's springs and lumps. I'll put the sheets on in case you stay."

"Okay...Just in case."

He stays most Saturdays. It's a game they play. She pretends she doesn't know he has no one at home even when his mom isn't working. He pretends she's only worried about him driving so late. Plus, she always makes real waffles, not those frozen ones. He can't remember the last time Terri cooked anything that took longer than 20 minutes and required a cookbook.

"Good boy," she smiles and pats his cheek.

He waits until she's back inside before he begins walking toward the theater. He leaves his motorcycle parked between the Amell and Rickards garages. It's not that far and Stephen'll probably drive his ancient deathtrap of a car so he'll hitch a ride back.

His father left him three things when he walked out -- a motorcycle, a jacket, and a reputation. Beyond Mrs. Amell, he didn't really give a shit what other people thought. They'd already made up their minds anyway. He was out of this nowhere town as soon as he graduated, and he was never looking back.

***

When Matthew calls him at nine, Jensen is ready for a break. He's also settled on the start of a plan to wean Matthew off of his slacker friends. He's sure the more time Matthew spends around Jensen's friends and their influence, the more mature and motivated he'll become.

"We're going to Adam's party next Friday," Jensen tells him. Everyone would be there. Everyone but Matthew's group, except maybe Jared.

"But Friday's DVD night," Matthew whines.

"So? Every Friday's DVD night. You can go the next week. There isn't go to this kind of party every week."

"But it's my week to choose," Matthew pouts.

"So, you'll choose next time." Jensen shrugs.

"If I miss this week, it'll be another month before my chance comes around."

Jensen sighs. "Matthew," he says calmly. "This could be the biggest part of Spring semester. Maybe even of the whole year. All the seniors will be there and the jocks, the cheerleaders, the cool juniors. You want to be one of the cool juniors, don't you?"

"Uh...yeah?"

"I have to be seen there and if you want to be cool, you do too," Jensen says.

"Okay. You're right."

Jensen grins to himself. _Step 1_ accomplished.

***

A few days later, Jensen is helping Rachel make signs for the class bake sale. The rest of the class officers blew it off. As class President, Jensen has an obligation to participate in all class-specific activities like fundraising, planning activities, showing up for intramural sports.

"So, you still slumming it with Matt Cohen?" Rachel asks.

Jensen huffs and stops painting to glare at her. "I'm not slumming it. Matthew and I are in love."

She rolls her eyes. "Right...he's middle class and your dad owns like everything. That's the definition of slumming it."

"Upper middle class," Jensen says. "And even so, he has potential. He just needs someone to push him." Matthew wants to be a model or a TV anchorman or an astronaut. Jensen thinks Matthew is definitely good looking enough to be a model and if not a TV anchorman, then a game show host. He just needs direction.

"And you're the one who's gonna do that?"

"Yes!"

"You're gonna have to get him away from his degenerate friends," she says.

"Yeah, I'm working on it," he grumbles.

Yeah, okay, Emily isn't so bad. She's in Drama Club and he kind of likes her. She doesn't seem to appreciate his dating advice but no one is perfect. Her boyfriend, Stephen, is tolerable when it's only him and Emily but Jensen suspects he's just on his best behavior for her. Her cousin Misha is just weird with his hippy clothes and strange notions, like that creepy kid who ate glue in second grade. Jensen could do without him. Most of the kids in his own circle wouldn't even stoop to talk to Misha unless they absolutely had to.

Then there is Jared Padalecki. If any one of them is the source of trouble and a bad influence, it is Jared. He's always patronizing like he's somehow better than Jensen but he isn't even in the same league. He lives in the worst part of town, has been arrested (like both his parents) at least once, and is a slacker and a mooch, taking advantage of Mrs. Amell's generosity and sympathy. Jensen could do without him. Period. He's the one Jensen wants Matthew to distance himself from the most.

"You know, if I was gonna go slumming, I'd pick Jared," she smirks.

"Oh, gross! Why?"

"He's got that whole bad boy thing going for him and it would totes piss off my dad. Plus, Kristen says he does this thing with his tongue-"

"You're listening to Kristen? She has absolutely no standards." Jensen shudders just thinking about what Jared does with his tongue. Who knows where it's been?

***

It's about eleven on Friday night and the party's just getting started. The three cups of beer haven't dulled Jensen's annoyance with Matt who is three sheets to the wind and flirting his way through the room or showing off with the jocks. In fact, at the moment, he is doing keg stands to a cheering crowd.

And Jensen is trying to remember why he wanted them to come. Somehow his plan to get Matthew away from his immature degenerate friends has gone extremely eskew.

"Your boyfriend is so hot, Jensen," says Abigail, a volleyball player from St. Mary's in Centerville, says. Her boyfriend is one of the drunk jocks taking turns with the keg. "If he were my boyfriend, I wouldn't let my eyes off him. Or my hands for that matter."

"But you don't have to worry about that. I mean that's the best thing about being the only gay couple around, right?" says Ginger, another volleyball player.

And when did he manage to attract all these girls?

"We're not-" Jensen pauses. "That's not the only reason we're together."

"No, it's because hot gay guys attract. Like magnets," Ginger says with a giggle.

"Oh, to be a fly on the wall when you two are making out," says another girl whose name he didn't catch.

"Oooh, that would be so hot," Abigail says.

Jensen shudders because this is getting weird and...he's seriously starting to rethink PDA.

He's just about to excuse himself to grab his boyfriend when he sees Jared across the room. Jared's got a red cup in one hand and is leaning against the wall with his other, hovering over a tall blond wearing a low-cut camisole and pink denim mini-skirt. She's got a finger hooked around one of his belt loops and is pulling him toward her. They're both smiling at each other as they talk about who knows what. Jared leans in to whisper something in her ear and she giggles. Then she takes his cup and sets it on a nearby table before taking his hand and guiding him down a hall that Jensen knows leads to bedrooms and other rooms.

Jensen wrinkles his nose in disgust. Just another conquest for Jared Padalecki.

There's a crash and Jensen looks over to see Matthew and several jocks in a heap on the floor. They're laughing at least. The remaining jocks and some of the girls around him either clap or run to help.

He's really regretting this whole party idea.

***

The following Sunday, Stephen, Emily, Misha, Matt, and Jared are playing video games in the basement.

Matt announces out of the blue, "Dude, I totally made out with Danni!"

"Oh, gross!" Emily replies.

"Dude! That's my sister!" Stephen accuses and tosses his controller onto the couch.

"How was it?" Misha asks, not looking away from the TV where Stephen's character has just been eaten by zombies.

Jared just sits back considering an appropriate response.

Stephen punches Misha in the shoulder. Misha rubs his shoulder with a glare aimed at Stephen. Misha's character dies.

"It was totally hot! College babes are hot. They know stuff, you know?" Matt says.

"I don't want to hear about what my sister knows," Stephen says.

"Matt, how could you?" Emily sounds righteous.

"Yeah, she's the Devil," Misha says.

"What about Jensen?" Emily asks.

"Yeah, what about Jensen?" Stephen repeats, obviously trying to score points.

Matt sobers a bit. "What about him?"

"Are you still seeing him, you jerk?" Emily asks smacking the back of his head.

"Yeah. Why not? It's not like they'll ever run into each other and talk about it."

"Yeah, 'cuz that's why." Stephen rolls his eyes.

"Cuz this town is so big there's no way they can bump into each other," Emily adds.

"You're a real douche, man," Jared says.

It's said with such conviction that everyone turns to look at him.

"What?" Matt says.

"I said you're a douche, man," Jared says.

"Wh- Well...I thought you out of everyone would appreciate my good fortune," Matt accuses.

" _Me_ out of everyone?" Jared scoffs. "Why me?"

"B-because whenever we see you with anyone, it's hardly ever the same person," Matt says.

"Uh-oh," Emily whispers. She and Stephen look like they want to take a step back, out of the crossfire.

"Okay, let me stop you there," Jared stands and walks up to Matt. "First of all, I enjoy a good time and so do the people I fool around with, but I don't kiss and tell. I never subject them or you to each other. And most importantly, everyone involved are free agents with no expectations for that to change."

Matt starts to say something, but Stephen shakes his head. "I wouldn't," he murmurs.

"Second, while I respect those of you who are in a conformist committed relationship--" He nods at Stephen and Emily. "-- I am not a practitioner and I don't mess around with anyone who's in one. And I most certainly never use the L-word. That word means too much to some people, and the way you and Jensen fling it around, I'm willing to bet Jensen takes it serious. In fact, I'd bet my next paycheck that Jensen's already got your wedding and life all planned out. He seems like the hearts and flowers kind of guy."

Matt winces and Jared nods with the confirmation.

"I even bet that he didn't let you in his pants before you said it. That's why it took you five months," Jared says.

Misha snickers only to be punched in the arm by Emily.

Matt opens his mouth but nothing comes out.

"So if you have any respect for Jensen, someone you profess to love, you'll be a man and either tell him you want to see other people and accept the consequences or break things off before it gets back to him; as someone who enjoys your pain and suffering, I'm telling you now, it'll be painful to watch and it won't be pretty."

There's silence for a full minute as Jared stares down Matt.

Misha breaks the silence with "Well, look at that, Jay has a moral compass."

"Shut the fuck up, Misha," Jared snaps. "I gotta grab a smoke." He grabs his jacket and heads for the door.

Matt snags his sleeve forcing Jared to turn back. "But you're not gonna rat, are you?"

Jared frowns at him. "No. I won't rat." You don't rat out friends.

Matt looks relieved and lets go.

"But I won't lie for you either, not about this." His mom is not known for her fidelity. His dad left eight years ago. His little step-sister is nine and living with _her_ dad and his new wife. Jared only sees her on her birthday and Christmas. He knows what cheating can do to a family, to more than one family.

He has to draw the line somewhere.

***

A couple of weeks later, Jared is standing outside the school's outer fence. He just lit a cigarette when Jensen walks up. He has a look of disgust and Jared thinks the feeling is mutual.

"Those can kill you, you know," Jensen says.

"So could a bus, but I still ride one when I want to get somewhere," Jared says.

Jensen frowns and looks around. "Where's your bike?"

"All over my living room," Jared replies.

"What's wrong with it?"

"Oil pump is shot."

"Is that hard to fix?"

"If you have the money for a new one."

"Oh." Jensen looks around again. "Have you seen Matthew?"

Jared wants to correct Jensen, tell him his supposed boyfriend goes by 'Matt', but he suppresses the urge. _Again_.

Jared shrugs instead. "Not since fourth period."

"He was supposed to pick me up."

Jared nods but doesn't wade into that mine field. "What are you even doing here this late?"

"Class officers' meeting. Why are you here this late?"

"Detention."

"Oh...This is the third time he's forgotten to pick me up."

"Hmmmm" is all Jared can say. "He's probably at Stephen's. Friday is DVD night." Unfortunately it's Misha's choice tonight so they're watching some Indie artsy film that he knows won't make any sense and will probably give him a headache.

"Is that where you're going?" Jensen asks.

Jared sighs. "Yeah…" He drops his cigarette and toes it out. "Look I'm going that way…" He can't bring himself to offer.

"Mind if I walk with you?"

Jared shrugs. "Whatever."

***

By the time they reach Stephen's basement, Jensen's opinion of Jared is a little less black and white. For example, despite the fact that he never seems to be anywhere near a textbook and he smokes, he actually isn't so bad when he's not being a complete dick. He also likes some of the same music as Jensen. Plus, even though he seems to have a serious irrational hatred of RomComs, his taste in movies is decent.

Jensen's also discovered that Jared works a few hours a week at Old Man Beaver's Gas and Auto Shop and Ms. Gamble pays him in cookies for help carrying heavy things. She even gave Jensen some just because he was there.

He finds it all surprising.

"Hi, Emily - uh-" Jensen starts when they step into the basement only to be befuddled by Misha on the floor in some yoga position on a Twister mat. "Wha-"

After a flash of surprise, which Jensen assumes is because he and Jared arrived together, Emily grins. She has the Twister spinner in her hands and Jensen realizes Misha is playing the game by himself.

Jared doesn't even pause. "It's exactly what it looks like," he says quietly as he takes his jacket off and dumps it on the table by the door.

"But you can't play Twister by yourself," Jensen says.

"Au contraire, mi amore," Misha replies as he successfully manages to twist himself into a pretzel to get his left hand on green.

Jensen still looks perplexed.

"He's double-jointed," Emily says.

"Just nod and smile," Jared advises.

Jensen nods slowly and forces a smile. "O...kay. Where's Matthew?"

"Yes, where is the wayward boyfriend?" Jared asks as he heads toward the stairs to the house.

Emily looks flustered for a second. "I think he went up for sodas a while ago."

Jared smirks. Before Jensen has time to reflect on his sly expression, Matt stomps down the stairs.

"Matthew, where were you?" Jensen demands.

"Yeah, _Matthew_ ," Jared says. "You think you forgot someone at school?"

"Oh! Uh, I'm sorry, babe," Matt coos also looking flustered. "I totally flaked. I'll totally make it up to you." He hugs Jensen and gives him a kiss.

Jensen decides that discussing the fact that he's been flaking a lot lately is best done without witnesses. Normally Jensen would melt with one of Matt's kisses but he's feeling a bit put out and plus Matt is -- "Wait, why are you so sweaty?"

Jared pauses on the stairs like he's listening. Jensen doesn't know why the answer would be that important to him.

"Oh - um - well, I was helping Danni..move her bookshelf," he says.

"Is that why you didn't bring back any sodas?" Jared asks with a clearly mock innocent tone.

Jensen frowns at the question and notices that Jared's right.

Matt glares at Jared and says, "Yeah, I went up to get the drinks and Danni waylaid me."

"Why did she ask _you_?" Jensen folds his arms across his chest.

"Because Stephen is driving his mom to work and Mr. A has a bad back," Matt says.

Jensen frowns. It sounds plausible but something bothers him about it.

"I'll just grab the sodas you forgot. Jensen can tell you all about the class meeting," Jared says stalking the rest of the way up the stairs.

Jensen rolls his eyes at the obvious poke. So, okay, he might have run his mouth a little on the way over -- at least until they ran into Ms. Gamble. Then he started asking Jared questions.

"Oh, yeah? Was it a good meeting?" Matt pulled Jensen over to the sofa so they could sit.

"Yeah, I don't want to talk about it now."

When they sit, Jensen realises Emily and Misha have just gone back to their game, meaning they have been listening in to the conversation between Matt, Jared and himself. That's one thing he doesn't like about this group. They're all in each other's business all the time. Granted, he enjoys gossip plenty as long as it isn't about him.

***

Jared doesn't know how it happens but somehow Jensen has decided to be his friend whether he likes it or not.

The first time he notices is when Jensen sits next to him in study hall when he's trying to finish yesterday's math homework. Jensen gives him a usb with a mix of music he thinks Jared will like. Jared doesn't thank him because he doesn't want to encourage this strange new behavior.

Another time Jensen asks if Jared would look at the car he shares with his older brother, Josh. Apparently, it's making a noise and Jared's the only one he knows who knows anything about engines. When Jared tells him to take the car to Beaver's, Jensen looks oddly disappointed.

Then Jensen introduces him to Rachel Miner, a cheerleader who has spent every year since Kindergarten pretending he doesn't exist. She's overly flirtatious but as annoying as he suspected. She's good-looking, sure, but he doesn't think he could stand to listen to her catty, airhead babble for more than five minutes. She seems put out when he doesn't ask her out, which he finds baffling. Surprisingly, he realizes he'd rather listen to Jensen ramble about anything inconsequential than Rachel. If he had to choose anyway.

A week later, when he runs into Matt and Jensen at the movies. Jensen seems snappish, which doesn't bother him. Really. He assumes it's because he's out with Kristen instead of her friend Rachel. Maybe Jensen thought they could double date?

But Jensen persists no matter how rude Jared might be, and since Jensen has stopped relying on Matt to pick him up when Jensen's brother has the car, Jared finds himself walking with Jensen now and then or giving him a ride.

And it pisses Jared off to no end that the annoying, arrogant, uptight, know-it-all is no longer as annoying as he used to think. Not that he's going to admit that to anyone. Especially not Jensen.

***

They are at The Hub, the local hangout for teens and early twenty-year-olds. Stephen and Misha are trash-talking while playing a thirty-year-old _Star Wars_ pinball machine. Jared is picking at Emily's leftover fries.

His mom has been MIA for a week so he's been relying on public school lunches and moments like this. He's been by the bar she works at nights and they said she's called in sick all week. This isn't the first time she's done this but last time child services got involved and if it hadn't been for the Amell's he'd have ended up in some group home in the city. Sometimes he can't decide if that wouldn't have been better.

Dipping a fry in the ketchup, Jared asks, "Theoretically, if I were going to do something to Matt, would you feel obligated to tell him or-"

"What are you going to do?" she interrupts.

"Nothing but theoretically if I did-"

"Why are you doing this theoretical thing?"

"I don't know. Doesn't matter."

"Is it a big thing or a small thing?"

"Does it matter?"

Tilting her head, she purses her lips. "Really, what are you planning?"

"Seriously. This is a theoretical question. If I were really going to do something, I'd do it and then brag to his face."

"Hmmm. True." She grabs one of the fries and drags it through the ketchup. "I don't know. It depends on what it is. Is it hurtful?"

He shrugs. "It could hurt but not physically."

She looks thoughtful. "What's this about?"

He brushes his bangs out of his eyes. His hair is getting longish but he's stubbornly not going to cut it until some authority figure threatens him about it. He debates his answer. "You're friend's with Jensen, right?"

"Yeah…" She draws it out.

"How do you reconcile keeping Matt's secret from him?"

"How do _you_?"

"He's not _my_ friend. You're the only one other than Matt who likes him."

"You sure?" she smirks at him.

"Just because he's latched onto me, doesn't mean he's my friend." He knows he sounds defensive and that makes him more annoyed.

"That's what you said about Matt," she smirks.

"I gotta be honest. I'm still not sure about _him_." It's almost a joke, but sometimes he wonders.

"Oh, come on, he's like your brother."

"Yeah, my idiot, jackass brother."

"Oh, come on, you know if you really needed him, he'd have your back."

Jared bites back a retort that he wouldn't trust Matt to have his back.

The door opens. Matt and Jensen enter but rather than their usual cutesy, lovey-dovey selves, they're bickering.

It's loud enough that people stop to look. Even Misha and Stephen.

"Uh-oh, trouble," Emily murmurs.

When Jensen realizes people are looking he snaps something quietly at Matt and makes a beeline for their table, leaving Matt to go to the order window.

The thing is Jensen and Matt have been bickering a lot lately. Jared should feel happy. The sooner they break up, the sooner he won't have to deal with Jensen anymore. Oh, he'll still have to deal with Danni, but he can handle her. He's had over 10 years to hone that skill. They have a mutual hate that actually repels them each other. Plus, she'll get tired of Matt soon enough.

So, he should be happy. But he's not. It actually just annoys him, makes him anxious, makes him want to smack them both.

Jensen plops into an empty chair with a huff.

"What happened?" Emily asks.

"I don't want to talk about it," Jensen says curtly.

Jared has time to think " _Good_." before Jensen spills the whole thing.

"On our way over, I saw Chris Kane, you know, from Franklin? He has that band that sometimes plays at their school events?"

Emily nods, but Jared can't imagine how this is of any interest to him at all.

"I stopped to talk to him about maybe playing at prom. You know, because a live band would be way better than someone's ipod on shuffle, right?"

"Okay," she says. By now, Stephen and Misha have joined them and Stephen is making sucking noises with the straw in Emily's drink. She glares at him until he stops.

"So, anyway, after that, all the way over here, Matthew kept going on about how I was flirting with him and he wouldn't shut up about it. Can you believe that?"

There's a pause because Jared's sure no one knows what to say. So, he decides to. "I read somewhere that people who constantly accuse their partner of cheating are usually insecure, have a real cause to, or have a guilty conscious."

Jensen looks like he's about to start yelling, but Emily saves Jared from being the target of his wrath. "Is that what you learned in your one semester of psychology?" she teases.

"No. I also learned that Arachibutyrophobia is the fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth." Jared grins smugly.

"Omphalophobia is the fear of a navel," Misha offers.

"Nice." Jared grins as they fist bump.

Emily rolls her eyes.

"Unless anyone has a fear of soda, I'm going to get one. Anyone else want anything," Stephen says.

Emily asks for a refill, but Jared and Misha shake their heads. Just as Stephen's walking away, Matt sits down in the seat he vacated next to Jensen.

Matt hands him a soda. "Here you go, babe. Just like you like it, diet, hardly any ice."

Jensen just takes it and doesn't say anything. Jared thinks Jensen might be pouting but he's absolutely sure Jensen is glowering at him. He's familiar with that expression.

***

Jensen is still seething an hour later. Matt has apologized for arguing in public but hasn't taken back accusing Jensen of flirting with someone else.

Jared has gone outside for a smoke and Stephen went to keep him company. Misha is now wiping the floor with Matt at the air hockey table. For someone who lived fourteen years without modern amenities, Misha is quite adept at anything game related though he still has trouble with the DVR.

He and Emily are both working on math homework. Jensen puts his pencil down more forcefully than he should have and Emily gives him a questioning look. He looks a little sheepish.

"Sorry...Can I ask you something?" he says.

Looking amused, she shrugs. "Sure."

"What's with Jared?"

"What about him?"

"Why's he gotta be such a jerk?"

"I'm sorry. You're going to have to be more specific. Which instance are we specifically talking about," she says with a small smile.

Jensen rolls his eyes. "I'm talking about earlier when he practically accused me of cheating. I would never!" he whispers loudly.

Now it's her turn to roll her eyes. "I don't think that's what he was doing, sweetie."

"Right. Sure sounded like it."

"Jense, seriously. Jay likes to stir things up and the more you act-" she gestures around in his direction "- the more it's going to egg him on. You have to let things roll off and show him you aren't bothered by his snark."

He frowns at her. "So he doesn't really think-"

She shakes her head. "No one thinks _you_ 'd cheat on Matt." She bites her lip and looks toward Misha and Matt just as Misha does his best imitation of a touchdown dance.

Jensen thinks he sees something uncomfortable in her expression for a second. He looks over to his boyfriend and feels he's missing something important.

***

Jared has decided that Jensen is the epitome of "love is blind". He's tried laying the groundwork for Matt to trip up but Jensen never takes the bait. He seems to believe all of Matt's ridiculous excuses and lies and, really, Matt's not that bright.

That's why he's completely flabbergasted when Matt epically, spectacularly screws up all by himself.

***

Matt bursts into the basement acting like he's hopped up on twenty kinds of candy. He's ecstatic. He's dischevilled and his lips are swollen.

Jared, Stephen and Misha look up from the _Playboy_ centerfold they've been studying like there's going to be a test on it.

"Guess who just made out with Rachel Miner behind the school gym?" he exclaims. "Everyone?" Stephen says.

Misha and Jared laugh.

"No! Me!" He points to himself and grins triumphantly.

"Good one," Jared says to Shephen.

"Thank you," Stephen grins. "I'm proud of it myself."

"Hey! Guys, you're missing the point here," Matt says. "I made out with the head cheerleader!"

Jared sighs and quirks an eyebrow.

"Yeah, behind the gym," Misha says.

"Exactly!" Matt nods enthusiastically.

"Where everyone could see," Jared says.

"Yeah! Exactly," Matt grins.

Matt's so proud of himself that Jared almost doesn't explain what a dipshit he is, but it's not in his nature to pass this sort of opportunity up. "That's great, because now everyone can tell Jensen, you dumbass."

No, you dumbass, _everyone_ saw you making out with Jensen's bestie."

Matt's expression sobers. "Oh, man, I forgot about Jensen. Maybe he won't find out."

Stephen facepalms.

Emily bursts into the basement from the kitchen stairs. She looks around and then begins smoothing her hair and clothes. "Um. Hi." Her cheeks are rosy and she's a little out of breath as if she ran all the way from school.

Misha quirks his head. "Where's the fire?"

"What?" She makes a valiant attempt at looking innocent. "I just couldn't wait to see my boyfriend." She wraps her arms around Stephen. "Wait. Is that a _Playboy_?"

"What? No," Stephen says. Stephen tosses the magazine to Misha who immediately tosses it to Jared who shoves it under the couch. All three attempt to look innocent which only makes them look more guilty.

"It's Cosmo," Misha deadpans.

Jared and Stephen glare at them.

"Hey, uh, Em?" Matt says looking worried. "You haven't seen Jensen, have you?"

Emily doesn't have a chance to answer. The door from the street slams open and a very pissed off Jensen appears.

Jared knows there isn't a cloud in the sky today but he suddenly has the impression of dark clouds coming out of nowhere and constant violent thunder and lightning stretching as far as the eye can see. This must be what it's like circling the eye of the hurricane.

" _Matthew Joseph Cohen,_ you are a dog!" Jensen sounds ice cold.

"What did I do?" Matt tries to sound innocent.

"You made out with Rachel Miner," Misha says helpfully.

Matt makes an indignant sound.

"You lying, cheating son of a bitch! I trusted you, Matthew, and now all my friends are laughing at me. I loved you and you humiliated me." Jensen's hands are balled into fists. "And with Rachel, of all people. She's a conniving two-faced bitch! She's the sluttiest of the sluts. She's a whorey slutty bitch!"

"But- I-" Matt stammers.

"No, Matthew." Jensen pokes him in the chest with each of the following words. "You are a two-timing bastard. We are through."

Everyone is watching enraptured. Emily even slowly sits. Jared puts his hand over his mouth to hide the smile.

"Jense-" Matt tries.

Jensen slaps Matt and the sound echos in the silence. The others wince.

"Shut. Up! I can't believe I wasted almost all junior year with you, you bastard!" Jensen storms out of the basement.

Matt starts to go after him, but Stephen grabs his arm. "I will beat you myself," he says.

Emily gives Stephen a grateful smile, kisses his cheek and heads out after Jensen.


	3. part II

Jensen is sitting at a table in the  courtyard eating lunch. He's frowning at a table full of jocks, cheerleaders and otherwise popular kids.

"They're not really your friends," Misha says as he plops onto the bench across from Jensen.

To his surprise, Misha and Emily had taken it upon themselves to keep Jensen company the last few days. They showed up the night after the breakup with gallons of ice cream and way more junk food than anyone ever needs. Emily only allowed Misha to come along if he provided the ice cream. Misha was curious about this breakup ritual involving junk food and bad-mouthing the ex.

Jensen thought that would be the end of it, but Misha has invited himself to lunch with Jensen every day since. Sometimes he's even grateful.

"If they were, they wouldn't be acting like that," Misha adds.

Jensen sighs and goes back to the slab of barely edible cardboard the school called chicken fried steak. "It sucks. I'm the wronged party here."

Misha nods, taking a bite of his tofurkey sandwich. His mom is a vegetarian and thinks Misha is too. She doesn't know about his avid carnivorous side the group is well-familiar with. "If you think about it, it's better you know now. Sure it sucks worse because you lost your boyfriend and your friends at the same time, but now you know the truth."

Jensen never realized how astute Misha was. Sometimes he seems wiser than he should be at 17 and others he seems like the most socially awkward and naive  person in Riverside.

"It's just not fair. Matt and Rachel still have  _ their _ friends. Who do I have?"

"I'm here."

Jensen notes Misha doesn't say he's a friend.

"And Em."

"Yeah, but neither of you warned me. No one said, 'Jensen, I know you love him, but Matthew's a jerk.'"

"I believe Em's exact words were 'Jensen, I know you love him but Matt's a jerk.'"

"Yeah, but just that once."

Misha glares at him.

Jensen sighs and looks away. "I bet everyone had a good laugh at how oblivious I was."

"Jensen," Misha says to make him look at him. "No one laughed."

"Oh, come on, I bet Jared thinks the whole thing is hilarious."

Misha hesitates. "Okay, he's pleased…"

Jensen nods and looks away.

"But not at your expense."

Jensen looks doubtful.

"Like the rest of us, he's just happy Matt got caught."

"Isn't that the same thing?"

Misha quirks his head looking thoughtful. "No."

Misha won't say anything more on the subject. He doesn't like gossiping about his friends. 

That just leaves Jensen to wonder what Misha means.

***

Beaver is letting Jared work a few hours after school a couple of times a week. Mostly he's catching Beaver up on a backlog of oil and lube jobs, but he's also covering gas customers too. It's not really busy most evenings.

Matt is leaning against the garage door opening. Jared's just wiping his hands with a dirty cloth. Matt looks like he just stepped out of an Abercrombie and Fitch ad. Jared looks like he stepped out of  _ Mechanic's Weekly _ .

"God, I miss Jensen," Matt says. "Jay, man, I really screwed up."

Jared nods. "Yeah, you did." He's not feeling any sympathy.

"I gotta figure out how to get him back."

Jared stops and glares. "I swear to God, if you even think about going near him, Em won't have a chance to sic Stephen on you. I will beat you myself."

"But I love him!"

"No," Jared says angrily. "You love dick, and there's only like five guys in 100 miles who like dick and two of them are us and let me tell you, my dick is not going anywhere near your dick so the only other guy in town is Jensen. You just want Jensen because he's convenient. You don't want a committed thing with him. You just want to screw around. So stay the fuck away from him, Matt. At least until you get your shit together and decide if you really wanna be serious."

Matt opens and closes his mouth several times.

Jared stares at him hard. Finally he says, "Go home, Matt. I got work to do."

***

Emily and Jensen are sitting in the sun on the library steps. They've each got an ice cream cone from the diner. It's April and the weather is getting warm.

"Hey, come to DVD night tonight," Emily says. She nudges his shoulder with hers.

Jensen frowns and shakes his head.

"C'mon, it's my choice. We'll rent  _ Titanic  _ or  _ The Notebook _ , some romantic tragedy the others will hate."

"Nah. No one wants me there," he says.

"I do. And Misha too." Seeing the dejected look on Jensen's face, she adds, "Stephen will because he wants to have sex one day."

That gets a snort out of Jensen. "But Jared won't."

She shrugs. "Jay won't complain because there's pizza."

Jensen quirks an eyebrow at her.

"Oh, he'll complain about the movies, but he'll sit through them because there's pizza."

"He's kind of a mooch, isn't he?"

She frowns at him in such a way it makes Jensen fidget.

"Not everyone can have parents who give them credit cards and cars...and you know, regular meals, Jensen," she says harshly.

Jensen feels his face go red. He's never really thought about it. Sure, he knows Jared came from the rundown part of town. He's seen the area a few times when his dad went to collect rent. He's just never put a lot of thought into Jared's personal living conditions other than to disparage like the rest of his old friends, and now it occurs to him how snotty that line of thought is. He feels ashamed.

He thinks back to the few weeks he tried to befriend Jared. Jared hadn't seemed appreciative of his efforts, but now he can see how some of his attempts might have been perceived.

He'd tried to give Jared things he couldn't afford. He offered to pay Jared cash to work on the car because he thought Jared would appreciate the extra money. He'd tried to pull Jared into his own popular social circle by introducing him to Rachel, the skank -- and, boy, is he glad that didn't work out.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize," Jensen murmurs.

"Okay." Emily nods curtly. "Just...just don't-- we don't actually talk about it."

Jensen nods. "I get it."

They sit in a comfortable silence for a while, finishing their cones.

"So you'll come?" Emily says.

Jensen shakes his head. "I don't want to see Matt."

"He won't be there."

Jensen looks surprised, but Emily won't meet his eyes.

"Why not?"

She clears her throat. "He's going to a party. In Centerville, I think."

Jensen mulls that thought over. After a minute, he says, "Rachel?"

She shakes her head and bites the side of her lip.

"Who then?" Jensen tenses up, preparing for bad news. He knows about Danni because Misha finally told him so Jensen wouldn't be surprised if he caught them together, but he knows she's not in town this weekend.

She shakes her head again. "Justin."

"Hartley?" Okay, that really pisses him off because it's clear in that moment that Matt is still interested in men. He could handle the idea of Matt cheating with women because he doesn't have the same girl parts. The problem is Matt just wasn't interested in Jensen enough to be faithful. He didn't love Jensen like he was supposed to.

"Yeah."

"From Centerville High?"

"Yeah."

"The stalker guy?" 

Because everyone knows who Justin Hartley is. Over a year ago, He outed Jared. They'd hooked up a couple of times and then Justin started showing up all over the place in Riverside. Everywhere Jared was. At least until Jared broke his nose, which landed Jared in jail for a week. Nothing happened to Justin because, like Jensen, his family is one of the most wealthy in the area.

"I know, right?" Emily said, giving him an one-armed hug. "I know it doesn't feel like it right now, but you are so much better off."

***

Jared thought they would be free of Jensen once the whole breakup happened. He was sorely mistaken. To his annoyance, Emily and Misha seem to have adopted him as their pet project.

When Jensen enters the basement behind Emily, he frowns but quickly schools his expression when Emily gives him a warning glare. Jared can see Jensen's discomfort and awkward expression.

Jared tries to put himself in Jensen's shoes. The closest he can come up with is how he felt when his dad left. All that does is reaffirm his resolution to stay unattached. Who needs that crap?

However, Jared quickly forgets to be annoyed by the interloper when he finds out the movie choices are  _ Clueless _ and  _ The Proposal _ . He wants to smack Stephen when he faux cheerfully tells Emily what great choices she made. Even Misha rolls his eyes at Stephen's over-the-top ass-kissing.

Emily corners Jared in the kitchen 30 minutes later when he volunteers to get everyone's drinks. She gives him a lecture on suppressing his natural inclination to be an asshole to Jensen for the time being. If she was anyone else, that would just have encouraged him to be worse than usual. Instead, he promises to be on his best behavior at least for now.

Additionally, he decides Jensen's not so bad when he's not being bossy or shoving his tongue down Matt's throat.

***

It's not as bad as Jensen thought it would be. Sure, it's awkward but at least it's a little less awkward by the end of the evening. He's not sure how he'll deal when he has to face Matthew in the basement, but he's okay with most everyone else. Even Jared seems to be treating him...nice. Though he wonders if Jared's behaviour is born in pity. He would hate it if anyone was pitying him.

And without Matthew to distract him, he really enjoys the easy banter the group has. He even finds himself enjoying Jared's discomfort with the RomComs. Even though Emily and Misha keep telling him to shut up, Jared can't seem to help himself. It isn't complaints so much as well-timed snarky remarks, which he only cuts out when Stephen accuses him of "protesting too much."

***

On Tuesday, Jensen pulls into the gas station. 

Jared is wiping his hands on an oil cloth as he comes out of the garage. He pauses when he sees Jensen already out of his car and opening the gas cap. Jared doesn't think Jensen has ever pumped his own gas. Heck, he doesn't think any of the Ackles have ever pumped their own gas.

"Hey, Jared! I got this," Jensen smiles.

Jared watches him a moment before shrugging and slowly walking into office. Beaver's only just installed a credit card machine inside. He doubts Beaver'll ever get one of those fancy pay-at-the-pump set-ups.

A couple minutes later Jensen joins him at the register. "Hey, how's it going?" he asks.

"Um. Okay?" Jared says, studying Jensen like a two-headed frog. He glances at the total on the read-out. "It's 32.15."

Jensen actually hands him cash. "Here you go." 

Jensen is still smiling when Jared says, "Here's your change," and hands him the $2.85.

"Cool. See you tomorrow." 

Jared is watching when Jensen waves out the window as he drives away.

"Kind of like watching  _ Invasion of the Pod People _ , ain't it?" Beaver says from behind him.

Jared turns to him but he still hasn't figured out if he's in  _ The Twilight _ Zone. Even when Jensen was acting nice back when he was still dating Matt, he was never this friendly or normal. It's unnerving. Jared's not sure what to do with this.

***

The next Saturday, Jensen shows up at the garage. Just to hang out while Jared works. Jared can't figure what to do about it and he's already promised himself not to be rude to Jensen. At least, for now. So, he tries just going about his job and giving monosyllabic answers and grunts. Just like he'd do if Matt, Stephen, or Misha were bothering him at work.

Jensen is sucking a chocolate milkshake out of a take-out cup from the hub and Jared finds it inexplicably distracting.

"So what are you doing tonight?" Jensen asks.

Stephen and Emily -- or Stemily, as Misha calls them -- are going on a double date with Misha and Felicia, his French tutor. Jared's fairly sure Misha is flunking French on purpose. 

And Matt is, well, Matt's not allowed to inflict any of his skanks on them. Seriously, Jared and Stephen sat him down and explained that Danni, Rachel, and especially Justin aren't welcome. Since he's celebrating his new-found freedom to screw around by screwing around as much as possible, they barely even see him except at school. Somehow, Jared doesn't mind his absence so much.

With Stemily and Misha out of the picture for the evening, he hasn't made any specific plans. He shrugs despite being under the hood of the rusty F-150 he's working on. "Sleeping?"

"I was thinking...maybe we could do something." The last part is kind of mumbled.

Jared stands up so fast he bumps his head on the underside of the trunk. "Fuck!" Rubbing the back of his head, he backs safely away.

Jensen is wincing in sympathy. "Are you okay?"

"Peachy," he grumbles. He gulps some water from his water bottle on the workbench. "So...I didn't catch what you said." He did actually but he's hoping he heard it wrong.

Jensen looks uncomfortable. "I was just thinking. I'm alone. You're alone. Maybe we could be alone together."

Jared blinks and takes another gulp of water to stall. Finally he sighs. "Look. Jensen, I don't think that's a good idea."

Jensen has a confused look on his face, followed by one of embarrassed horror. And his pink cheeks should not be -- for want of a better, more manly word -- adorable. Jensen quickly says, "Oh! No! God, no! That's not-- I just meant-- you know-- friends."

And, okay. Jared shouldn't care, but the "God, no" kind of stings. Sure he's not boyfriend material but he's got it on good authority that he's kinda hot and a damn good kisser among other things.

Jared nods slowly and tries not to wince at the pain in his head. "Okay then."

"So is that 'okay' you'll hang out?" Jensen asks looking oh so hopeful.

"Don't you have homework? It's Saturday." And it surprises both of them how it doesn't sound patronizing at all.

"Um." Jensen looks uneasy. "I did it all this morning."

Jared quirks an eyebrow.

"I was supposed to- I had plans with Matthew, and, well, you know." He's staring at his feet.

"What were you thinking?" Jared says, deciding to avoid that landmine.

Jensen looks confused.

"The plan? For tonight."

Jensen shrugs. "I don't know. We could go to the mall in Centerville and-"

"I'm not a hang-out-at-the-mall kind of guy. In fact, I make fun of the hang-out-at-the-mall kind of guys."

"Oh...well, there's bowling."

Jared shrugs with one shoulder. "I don't hate bowling."

"Yeah?" Jensen grins.

"Sure. Why not? It's better than hanging out at my place." Terri's pawned the television and his stereo again so there's nothing to do but sit around and read. However, he can read Darwin's  _ The Origin of the Species _ anytime.

"Do you want me to pick you up? I have the car this weekend," Jensen says.

Jared's head snaps up at the question. "No!" He clears his throat. "I mean, if you don't mind riding the back of the bike, I'll drive." No way is Jensen Ackles going to his house. The guy lives in one of the 5 town mansions. Jared lives in a hovel. Only Stephen and his parents have ever been there and he was extremely embarrassed.

Jensen frowns a little and then nods. "Okay." 

Jared nods and goes back to work under the hood.

***

Jensen has ridden on the back of Jared's motorcycle a handful of times before. However, they were all short trips from school to the basement. Riding on the back, arms wrapped around Jared's chest for the 30 min it took to get to the Rock 'N Bowl in Franklin, Jensen thinks he understands how this impresses the girls. It lends to his bad boy image. Not to mention the thrill of the feel of the bike between his legs. If it were a date, it'd be like foreplay.

The Rock 'N Bowl was built in the 50s and it still has its original lanes. Some have warped over the years, but most people just consider them a better challenge. Jensen pauses just inside the door of the bowling alley. Every time he's been in the last year, he's been with Matthew. Matthew would always pick up two balls and say, "Look, I have big balls." Then he would laugh at his own joke. Jensen should have realized how immature he was. He had plenty of warning signs. How could he be so stupid?

"Jense?" Almost to the counter, Jared has stopped and turned around to see where he is.

This group of friends insist on reducing each other's names to single syllables -- Em, Steve, Matt, Meesh, and Jay. They have recently started doing it to his name too. Jensen has mixed feelings about it. On one hand, he prefers using a person's given name because it's more mature and classy. On the other, he feels included by them for the first time since he started dating Matthew.

Jensen gives Jared a watery smile and quickly catches up. They get to the counter and there's a cute, petite brunette working the register and handing out shoes. Jensen really regrets not bringing his own ball and shoes. The idea of wearing used shoes makes him shudder inwardly. But how would he have been able to carry them on the motorcycle?

"Hey, Jay," she smiles. "Where is everyone?"

Jared leans casually on the counter, giving her a dimpled grin. "Off doing boy-girl things, leaving the rest of us to fend for ourselves."

Jensen is fascinated by Jared's smile. When he's not brooding, he's really quite attractive. And that's a thought he shoves into the very back recesses of his mind, because -- well, because their friendship or whatever they're doing is very precarious. He's aware Jared barely tolerates him, but he also has realized Jared barely tolerates most people.

"Speaking of boy-girl things," she says twirling a strand of hair on her finger. "I haven't seen you in a while." She bites her bottom lip all the while looking hopeful.

Jared hums. "Well, maybe we'll have to rectify that soon, yeah?"

She  perks up. "Great! Can't wait."

"Meanwhile, Sandy, Jense here and I need some shoes and a lane."

Jensen waves politely at her. He's kind of annoyed that she's ignored him so far. Any other time and he'd be demanding attention and less chit-chat.

Sandy looks him over and he's pretty sure she's trying to decide if he and Jared are together-together. Just to mess with her, he folds his arms across his chest and gives her an exasperated expression.

In a few minutes they've paid for a few games and rented some shoes, which Jensen holds like he wants to bath them in disinfectant.

As Sandy hands Jared his shoes, she whispers, "I get off at 12:30, if you want to come by." However, she doesn't whisper quiet enough.

"I'll call you next week, 'k?" Jared replies, but doesn't wait for an answer. He leads Jensen to lane 9.

As they're putting their rented shoes on, Jensen says, "I could get my brother to come pick me up."

Jared looks confused. "What?"

"If you wanted to stay and, you know." He nods back at Sandy.

Jared glances over his shoulder at her. He goes back to tying his shoes. "No, man. I wouldn't ditch you." He gets up to start hunting for a ball. "It's guys' night, right?" He gives Jensen a small, somewhat reassuring smile.

Jensen grins at him. "Okay." He takes it as a positive move forward.

***

They aren't at the bowling alley long when a gaggle of girls from both Riverside and Franklin arrive. Kristen and Amy split off from them as the majority head to the counter for shoes and to pay.

Kristen's a cheerleader and Amy's in the drama club so Jensen knows them both pretty well.  Coincidentally, he knows Jared knows Kristen pretty well. Wow, two of Jared's girls in one night. How much awkward can things get?

"Hey, Jensen. Jared," Kristen grins when the girls reach their lane.

"Girls," Jared smiles at them.

"Hey," Jensen replies.

Amy giggles and waves.

"How's it going? Good game?" Kristen says.

"Yeah, I guess," Jensen says cautiously.

"Look, we just wanted to stop by and say how sorry we are about what happened," Amy says.

"Yeah, Rachel is such a bitch," Kristen says.

"And Matt is too," Amy adds.

"Yeah," Jensen says feeling relief they're not here to be catty, but also pained at the reminder of how betrayed he feels.

"If it were up to us, they'd be totally out, but you know, Rach is the head cheerleader. She's like the queen bitch and no one wants to be on her bad side," Kristen says. She should know being a cheerleader herself.

"Yeah, but we don't care. We'll hang out with you. Just give us a call," Amy says.

Jensen nods. "Uh-thanks?"

"Yeah, Jay here has my number." Kristen winks before she kisses Jensen on the cheek.

"Yeah. I got your number." Jared chuckles.

"Well, we gotta get back." Amy gestures to their friends who have claimed a lane near the stage where the band will be.

"Yeah, okay, thanks," Jensen manages a smile.

As the girls walk away, Jared nudges his shoulder with own. "See? Not all is lost."

Jensen guess that's Jared's way of saying something cliche like "every cloud has a silver lining."

***

Jared finds spending time with Jensen without the others is less weird than he expected. Jensen isn't what he imagined. He's smart and kind of funny when he's not talking about the prom or class bake sales.  Jensen even kind of does this little jig when he bowls while the live band -- Chris Kane's Mutant Hamsters -- added the rock to Rock 'N Bowl.

Jensen just needs to loosen up a bit, stop trying so hard to be perfect. Jared thinks if he could get a few beers in Jensen-- He suppresses that thought because Jensen doesn't seem to be the type. He can't recall ever seeing him drinking at any party. Of course, Jared was usually enjoying a good buzz and good company on those occasions so he wasn't paying much attention.

It's not even 11:30 pm yet when they head back to Riverside. Jared considers that way too early to call it a night on a Saturday, and if he was honest with himself, he wasn't looking forward to going back to an empty house. So, he drives to a semi-secluded spot on the side of the road. It's a beautiful overlook of Riverside at night with all its lights curling around the riverbend. It's one of the few things he really likes about the town. Sometimes he comes out here by himself to just think.

"Oh, wow," Jensen whispers as he climbs off the back of the bike.

Jared immediately misses the warmth. He climbs off as well and they both remove their helmets.

"Yeah," Jared says quietly.

"I didn't know this place was here," Jensen says.

Jared shrugs. "I don't think many people do. I've never run into anyone when I come up here."

"You come up here a lot?"

Jared hesitates. This is such a personal thing to share and he's not sure why he's sharing it with Jensen. Sure, he's brought a couple of girls up here, but usually they're distracted by other things than enjoying the view.

"Sometimes," he says quietly and sits near the edge. He lights a cigarette and takes a deep drag. He hadn't stopped for a smoke break the entire time they'd been at Rock 'N Bowl.

Jensen sits next to him a minute later. "How'd you find it?"

Jared lets the smoke ease slowly out. "My dad. He brought me up here a couple of times."

Jensen is quiet for a while. "Oh."

Jared knows he's dying to ask. Everyone mostly tip-toes around his family life. He's pretty much grateful they do. He hates the pity he sees in their eyes sometimes when the subject of his mom or more rarely his dad comes up. 

When Emily's mother left to "find herself", she turned to him and they had long conversations about abandonment and insecurity. When Misha moved to Riverside with his mother, he and Misha bonded over absent fathers. While Jared appreciates their situations, he personally wishes his was more like theirs. At least they still have one loving, attentive parent. He wouldn't even mind living in squalor if he had a mom who made him sandwiches, asked how his day went, or worried about his grades. Heck, he's been signing his own report cards since he was 12.

Jensen not only lives in a mansion in the best part of town, but he has two parents and a brother and a sister who actually still live in the same house. Jared doesn't think he can even begin to relate, but for some reason he doesn't want to examine, he feels the need to give Jensen the chance. Maybe it's a test on his part. Whether he's testing Jensen or himself he doesn't know. 

"You can ask. I won't break," Jared says without looking at him.

Jared can feel Jensen looking at him so he concentrates on following the lights of one car along a side road. Jensen doesn't answer for a long while. 

Finally, Jensen says, "It doesn't matter."

Surprised, Jared turns to look at him. He can see Jensen's profile in the moonlight. He's watching something down below. Maybe it's the same car.

"What?" Okay, Jared knows there's a bit of anger and hurt in the single word. What the fuck? Of course, it matters. His dad fucking abandoned him. He lives in the rundown neighborhood that's the closest thing to a slum in Riverside. His mom is fucking her way through all the single men and some of the married ones in town and the surrounding ones. He's 16 and he works at the gas station and auto shop just to afford to eat. Bowling probably cost him two meals. It matters.

Jensen turns to him with a surprised expression. He pulls his legs up so he can wrap his arms around them. "I mean, it doesn't matter to me whether you tell me or not. It's not going to affect whether I'll hang out with you or not. If you want to-" Jensen shrugs. "I'll listen. But I don't want you to feel obligated or something."

The tension and the anger drains out of Jared. "Huh." He turns back to the view. He's not sure what to do with that, and he finds that happening a lot lately and it bothers him. "Okay."

They sit in comfortable silence for a while enjoying the view while Jared finishes his cigarette.

"I used to wish he took me with him," Jared says. He's never said that out loud before. He doesn't know why he's doing it now.

Jensen's looking at him again and Jared can't meet his eyes. "But you don't now?" 

Jared shakes his head. "I don't think it would be much better...now that I'm older, I can see things a little clearer. No one talks about it, but I think my dad was a drunk." He plays with some grass.

"My mom pops pills," Jensen says.

Jared's head swings around to face Jensen. He blinks widely at Jensen.

Jensen shrugs. "It's a thing. She's got prescriptions but she's not sick or anything. I think she thinks we don't know. Or maybe she doesn't care."

"Sorry. She always seems so...happy when she comes to the station." Jared hesitates. "I guess that explains why."

Jensen blinks at him and then one side of his mouth quirks up.

"Do you...do you wanna talk about it?" Jared asks, genuinely interested.

Jensen shakes his head and turns back to the view. "It doesn't really matter."

"Course it does."

"No, it really doesn't. Dwelling on it's not going to change anything. The only thing I can do is focus on my own life. I love my family, but to be honest, I can't wait to go to college."

"Where?"

Jensen looks down at his knees. "Stanford or Princeton."

"Those are fancy schools." Jared can't even bring himself to be bitter or jealous. 

"Yeah. That's why I work so hard to get good grades."

"But you can afford to go without a scholarship."

"But their entrance requirements are high. You can't just have good grades, you have to have extracurricular activities." Jensen sounds defensive.

Jared hums. "I get it. You do what you gotta do." He's still going to make fun of the others for school participation but he gets it now.

"Where do you think you're going to apply to?" Jensen asks.

Jared is surprised. No one has ever asked him about what he's going to do after graduation. Most people assume he'll end up working for Beaver or becoming a bartender like his mom or worse going to jail like his uncle and half his cousins.

"None," he says.

"None? Why?"

"Jensen, I hate school. Why would I want to spend four more years in one?"

"But...what are you going to do if you don't go to college?"

Jared shrugs. "I don't know. Maybe I'll go to one of those vocational schools. Get certified in auto maintenance."

"But don't you want to do more with your life than be a mechanic?"

"What's wrong with being a mechanic? People need mechanics." Jared is feeling defensive now. He doesn't want to be having this conversation. He wishes he'd never asked about college.

"Nothing. Nothing's wrong with being a mechanic," Jensen backpedals. "I just thought maybe since you're good with mechanics, you'd maybe want to do something like mechanical engineering."

Jared gets to his feet. "You know what? Not everyone can be white collar, Jensen. The world needs blue collar workers."

Jensen scrambles to his feet. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

"Yeah. That's kind of the problem. You don't mean to be condescending. It's been bred into you. You don't know any better." Jared grabs his helmet. "It's late. I better take you home." He offers Jensen the other helmet.

Jensen takes the helmet. "Jared…"

"It's Jay." He slips on the helmet and waits for Jensen to get on the back. He's never been more happy that it's impossible to have a conversation when riding the bike. He can't decide who he's more pissed at -- Jensen or himself. He wishes he'd never brought Jensen here.

***

Jensen is just heading out to hangout with Emily and Misha. He's still feeling bad about how things ended with Jared the night before, but he doesn't know how to fix it. Maybe they will be able to advise him.

"Jensen, can I talk to you a minute please?" his mother says when he passes the sun room.

He pauses mid-step and backs up until he's standing in the doorway. "Yes, ma'am."

"Jillian said her daughter saw you with that Padalecki kid last night. Is that true?"

Jensen bites the corner of his bottom lip. "Yeah. We went bowling."

Her sigh sounds very martyr-like. "Your father and I would prefer you didn't associate with him. He's trouble just like his parents."

"He's not really a bad guy, and we're just friends." Okay, that last part may be debatable.

"He broke Justin's nose. He's violent."

"I heard it was sorta self-defense," Jensen defends. "Besides, we have mutual friends so it's not like I can avoid him."

"That's another thing. I really don't think this new circle of friends is appropriate. What happened to Rachel and Mark?"

Jensen didn't really want to go into this again. "We had a falling out."

"Well can't you just apologize and make up?"

"I'm not going to apologize for Rachel sticking her tongue down my boyfriend's throat, Mother."

"Jensen! Don't be vulgar!"

"Anyway, I've got to go." He pauses. "I'm meeting some folks to study." It's the first time he's ever lied to his mother. He feels a pang of guilt but he's just done with this conversation.

***

Jensen kind of wishes they were meeting at Emily's house, but instead they are lounging around Misha's living room nibbling on vegan cookies. Vegan cookies are really weird. They taste weird and they have a weird texture to them. Still he mimics Emily as she fawns over them to Misha's mom.

He likes Ms. "Call-me-Rain" Collins. Like Mrs. Amell, she is much more laid back than his mother. Plus, she is very interested in Misha's life. She asks a lot of questions about what they've been up to and what they have planned. She's also very huggy for no particular reason, which Jensen finds awkward at first but learns to really love.

"So...I need some advice," Jensen says once they're finally alone.

"Never argue with a bus," Misha says quite seriously.

Emily and Jensen blink at him.

"Go on, Jense," Emily says turning back to him.

"It's about Jared," he says.

"Ohmigod! Isn't that just terrible?" Emily says, reaching out and grabbing his arm.

"What? What's terrible?" Jensen asks with a feeling of dread. A hundred scenarios go through his mind including Jared crashing his motorcycle after dropping Jensen off.

"The thing about his mom," she says like she expects him to know.

"What about his mom?"

"She was arrested this morning," Misha says around a black bean brownie.

"What? Oh my God! What happened?" he says.

"DUI," Emily says.

"Well…" Jensen runs a hand over his face. His mother is totally going to bring this up. "Well, what's he going to do?"

"What'd you mean?" Emily asks.

"Well, he…" He shakes his head. He has no idea where to even begin. Finally he decides on, "How long will she be in jail?"

Emily shrugs. "It's her third time. I think they're holding her until they can get a judge down here."

"What about Judge Singer?" Jensen asks.

"Vacation," Misha says.

Jensen frowns. "Well, what's Jared going to do in the meantime. He can't live there all by himself."

Emily looks at him like he's stupid. "He does it all the time.  _ But _ this time the authorities are aware of it. The Amells' are taking him in again."

_ Again? _ How often has this kind of thing happened?

"Whether he wants to or not," Misha adds with a smirk.

"Well, damn," Jensen says.

"Wait. If you didn't know about Jay's mom, what did you want to talk about?"

Jensen shakes his head. "It doesn't seem all that important now."

***

Jared is in a rotten mood all day Monday. Well, more than usual anyway. He hates that everyone in school is talking about him. The teachers are being overly nice and it's so fake he can't stand it. Not when last week they were treating him like the pain in the ass he is. So he ends up in detention for getting into an argument with his American History teacher over Pearl Harbor and the conspiracy that Roosevelt knew about the attack ahead of time but let it happen so the U.S. would have a reason to enter the war. Jared doesn't really believe everything he said, but he got some satisfaction seeing how frustrated and angry his teacher became.

However, now he's late for dinner at the Amells. Mrs. A will cut him some slack and he feels bad for taking advantage of her mothering, but Mr. A will probably give him a lecture. Anyone else and he probably wouldn't give a shit, but they've always treated him like family. Well, not like his family, but a normal family.

So when he sees Jensen waiting by his bike, he braces himself. 

"Hey, Jared, can I talk to you a minute?"

Jared shakes his head. "I really don't have time right now, Jensen," he says with as little exasperation as he can manage. 

Jared starts shoving textbooks into his saddlebags. Mrs. A expects him to actually do homework when Stephen is doing his. He's not sure what he'll do with himself during lunch and study hall tomorrow, but he really doesn't want to disappoint her.

Jensen glances down at the books and then shakes himself like he's trying not to be distracted. "It'll just take a minute. Really. I just need to get something off my chest."

Jared sighs and meets Jensen's eyes. "If this is about Saturday, you really don't have to say anything. Really. I got more important things to worry about right now."

"Yeah. I know. I heard. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You weren't the one arrested."

Jensen blinks at him. "Right...but I still want-"

Jared holds up a hand. "Seriously, Jense, we're good."

"We're...good?" Jensen sounds and looks confused.

"Yeah. We're cool."

"But I wanted to apologize-"

Jared shrugs. "Don't. Okay? We both said stuff. I'm an asshole. I know it."

"But I was the one who- Look, Jared, the breakup made me take stock and I didn't just learn I don't like my friends much. I realized there are things I don't like about me. I'm working on them, but it's a work in progress, you know? I'm not going to get it right all the time."

Jared bites the side of his mouth and nods. "Okay."

"So you forgive me?"

"I told you. We're good."

Jensen hesitates. "Okay."

Jared forces a small smile at Jensen because he thinks Jensen needs that reassurance. He's still in a pissy mood, but it doesn't have anything to do with him. No point in taking it out on him. "Now, really, I'm late for dinner. I gotta go like 30 minutes ago."

Jensen offers him a matching small smile and nods. "Okay. See you tomorrow."

***

The following Saturday a group of them go to the mall in Centerville. Once there, Stephen and Misha split off to go to the tux rental store and the video game store. Jensen goes with Emily to pick out a prom dress. 

That's when it hits Jensen. He's not going to prom. He was supposed to go with Matthew. They were going to look amazing together. It was going to be the most romantic evening ever. They were even going to be cliche and rent a hotel room. Not that they haven't already had sex. They've been together lots of times. Looking back, Jensen can see how he and Matthew had viewed even that differently. Jensen always called it "making love" and Matthew had persisted on saying "let's do it" or "we did it" despite how many times Jensen had asked him not to. Saying it that way made it seem so sordid. He can't believe he fell for Matthew's pretty words and ignored the ones he didn't want to hear. Love is blind like they say.

Yes, they were so wrong for each other. He knows that now.

The morning doesn't go well. He's sulking and he knows he shouldn't be. He should be happy for Emily, but he's feeling cheated.

"Isn't this dress gorgeous?" Emily says sounding giddy as she models it and admires it in the mirror.

Jensen is sitting on one of the chairs reserved for husbands holding their wives' purses. He sighs as he nods. "Gorgeous. I was going to get a new tux for prom."

"Do you think I should get the green or the pink?"

"Everyone's going to be wearing pink. Matt and I were going to wear complimentary cumberbunds."

"I wonder if I could get Steve to wear a matching green cumberbund. Green is a really good color for him, you know?"

"He was going to wear red and I was going to wear cobalt. We were going to look like those two guys on that show on the CW, you know?"

"Jensen," she says curtly.

Jensen snaps out of his gloomy reverie.

"You know, you're welcome to come with us," she says much softer.

Jensen feels a wave of guilt. You only get to go to prom for the first time once and he's ruining it for her. He shakes his head. "I don't want to be a fifth wheel." Emily and Stephen were doubling with Misha and Felicia. That would be all sorts of awkward and pitiful. "I'm sorry. I'll be better."

She nods and gives him a sympathetic smile. "Okay. Thanks...you know, if it'll be easier, I can do this by myself. You can go hang with the guys."

"No, I really want to help. Let's find some shoes to go with that dress, okay?"

She grins looking giddy. "Yeah."

A little while later, they've got a dress, shoes, and all the matching makeup and hair accessories Emily could ever want. They're gossiping about kids in the drama club, when Jensen literally bumps into Matthew coming out of the tux rental place.

It's not the first time he's come face-to-face with Matthew since the breakup. Heck, they've both been in the basement at the same time on a few occasions. Mostly he's just ignored Matthew. This time if feels like he just can't.

"Sorry," Matthew says. "I didn't see you."

Jensen glares at him.

"Hey, Matt. I didn't know you'd be here today. We might have invited you to ride with us." Emily sounds disingenuous and for that Jensen is grateful.

Matthew looks back and forth between them and has the good sense to look uncomfortable. "I -uh- I thought it might be awkward." He gestures behind him. "Jay said the two of you were going dress shopping. I didn't think you'd still be here." He shifts his weight back and forth nervously.

Jensen frowns, glancing between the store and Matthew. "You're going to prom?"

Matthew actually blushes. Jensen's never seen him do that and for a moment he feels triumphant at making him that discomposed.

"Yeah." Matthew hesitates, but when he sees them both staring at him expectantly. "I'm taking Rachel."

Jensen huffs. "Well, I'm going too." He feels Emily's eyes boring into his skull, but he doesn't dare look at her.

"Who?" Matthew doesn't hide his jealousy.

"His name is...unimportant. What's important is that he's better than you. In. Every. Way."

Matt's blush turns to an angry red. "I doubt he's better in  _ every _ way," he says with a smirk and a wink and swaggers off.

Jensen lets out a long breath.

"Ohmigod, Jense!" Emily whispers at him, her eyes wide.

Yeah, he's totally screwed.

***

Later that evening, Stephen and Emily have disappeared somewhere with some lame excuse that isn't even worth remembering. Misha is in the basement playing Battleship against himself. 

Jared and Jensen are in the kiddie park down the street. They are sitting on too low swings and letting their feet drag in the dirt. Jared is conscientiously using an empty soda can as an ashtray. 

Jared's mind is absently drifting. Yesterday after a brief argument and a threat to report her to the state, his mom had signed her parental rights over to the Amells'. There hadn't been much talk about it beforehand. Mr. and Mrs. Amell just pulled him out of class and taken him to the jailhouse to get the paperwork done. Jared thought it was fitting in a weird way that the Amells' had Jensen's dad draw up the legal papers. His slumlord had actually helped him into middle class.

Jared is secretly happy. He's not going to admit it to anyone though. The Amells' actually care about what happens to him. They always have. Mrs. A is more a mother to him than his own. He's been surreptitiously jealous of Stephen over the years. Now he's part of a real family.

He takes a drag of his cigarette and hears Jensen sigh dejectedly for what is probably the fifth time in the last fifteen minutes.

"If I ask what's wrong, will you stop making that sound?" Jared asks without looking up.

"It's the prom. Stupid Matthew is taking stupid Rachel, and I don't have a date, but I told him I did, and now I'm going to look like a complete loser," Jensen says bitterly.

Jared can't help the snort that slips out. At least he suppresses the laugh he might have let loose on any of the guys -- not Emily. He'd probably threaten to beat up anyone who put Emily in that situation. 

Jared looks up when he feels Jensen's glare. He very carefully says, "No, you're not."

Jensen looks at his hands and curls in on himself. "It's just that...I'm on the prom committee and Matthew was supposed to take me."

"So...you don't have to wait for someone to ask you, you know. Ask someone. Ask a girl. It doesn't have to be the love of your life. It's just a high school dance."

Jensen lets out another pitiful sigh. "I can't. Everyone who's wants to go already has a date. Even Misha has a date, for God's sake!"

Jared nods and takes another drag from the cigarette before taping the ashes into the can. "That is so true." He kind of means it in a mocking way and he's kind of sorry he said it right after. Really people shouldn't try talking to him when he's already in a bad mood.

"How would you know?" Jensen continues as if he doesn't here Jared's tone. "You're not even going." Jensen gasps. "You're not even going!"

Wide-eyed, Jared whips around to stare at Jensen in horror. He has a bad feeling about this.

"Oh, oh! I bet you clean up real good," Jensen says excitedly.

Jared gets ahold of himself and says, "Well, I do, but I won't." He smirks at Jensen. "See, that's a big part of who I am. School events are meant to make you think you're happy and accomplishing something when really all they're doing is preparing you for life as a sheep herded by the corporate government sovereignty."

Jensen blinks at him and Jared's almost sure he's going to call bullshit, but instead, Jensen sniffles and says, "But this is  _ the prom _ , Jared. The prom. If I don't go, I'll be humiliated." Jensen turns his swing away so Jared can't see his face and continues to sniffle.

"Are you...crying?" Jared says with a certain amount of skepticism.

"No," Jensen says between sniffles.

Jared gapes at the back of his head. And,  _ shit _ . He knew being nice to Jensen would lead to nothing good. "If I say I'll take you, will you stop?"

Jensen immediately turns around and smiles happily at Jared. "Yes."

Jared narrows his eyes at the obvious faker. "Okay...but I'm not wearing a monkey suit."

"That's okay," Jensen says seeming unfazed.

"And I'm not bringing you flowers or whatever," Jared adds.

"I don't care." Jensen nods like he was expecting that.

"And I'm not renting a car or whatever you're supposed to do. Me and my bike are a package deal."

Jensen looks like he might argue that point but after a hesitation, he says, "Deal."

Jared puts out his cigarette. He needs something far stronger than a cigarette and the problem with living with the Amells is they'd notice a six-pack missing from the fridge.

*** 

Mrs. Amell wants everyone to gather at their house before the prom for pictures. Emily tells Jensen she thinks it's so there will be photographic proof Stephen wore a suit once.

Jensen offers to meet Jared there, but Jared insists he'll pick Jensen up. Personally, Jensen would prefer to meet Jared there because he hasn't told his mother about Jared exactly. What he said was that he was going to prom with some friends. He doesn't want his mother to be all that interested. So he asks Jared to call him when he's on his way. That way he can meet him outside. Though he doesn't tell Jared that part of the plan either. He feels really guilty about all the manipulating he's doing but he can't see any other way.

Jensen guesses incorrectly how long Jared would take to get to his house and he panics when he hears Jared's honk. The few times Jared has picked him up, he's never come to the door. Jensen doesn't really approve. It's bad etiquette and he thinks Jared does it because he knows it is. This one time he's ecstatic about the horn.

He's straightening his tie as he steps out. At first his eyes are downward because there's a crack in the steps and he doesn't want to make a fool of himself by tripping. However, when he looks up, what he sees takes his breath away.

Jared's not wearing a tux but he is wearing a nice black suit jacket and a clean, pressed white shirt with a leather bolo at the neck. He's wearing well-fitted black jeans and polished cowboy boots instead of his usual dirty brown work boots. His unruly hair is even combed out of his face. And instead of his motorcycle, he's leaning against the Amells' newly washed Lexus.

Honestly, the best scenario Jensen had imagined was a clean Dead Kennedy's t-shirt and jeans without holes. He can't believe that is Jared standing there. Man, he wasn't kidding when he said he cleaned up nice. If he looked like this everyday, Jensen would have never even looked at Matthew. And, yeah, he knows how shallow that makes him.

"Wow," he breathes as he comes to stop in front of Jared. 

Jared says, " You look…" His gaze drifts up and down Jensen's body. He clears his throat. "Gorgeous."

Jensen can't help the blush. "You too," is the most coherent thing he can say.

"Oh, here." Jared opens the door for Jensen to get in the car. 

Jensen's eyes follow him as he walks around the car and gets into the driver's seat.

"Thanks for doing this, Jared," Jensen says resisting the urge to lean over and kiss Jared's cheek. He doesn't think Jared would appreciate it.

"Yeah. No problem." Jared starts the car. "I got your back, right?"

Jensen nods, understanding this is a just friends thing. 

"Oh, I got this." Jared nervously hands Jensen a small box. "I didn't know…" He pulls away from the curb. "Emily said it would match."

Surprised, Jensen opens the box to reveal a delphinium boutonniere that matches his cobalt cumberbund. He wants to say how sweet Jared is, but he thinks Jared might turn around and take him home if he does.

"Thank you," Jensen simply says.

 

Jensen loves Mrs. Amell. She's like a hummingbird fluttering between all of them, straightening ties, fixing stray hairs, and gushing over her boys.

"You too, Jensen. You're one of my boys," she says straightening his lapels. She kisses his cheek and then wipes her lipstick off.

Matthew's absence is conspicuous. Misha tells Jensen that Matthew was invited but only if he and his date could behave themselves. Jensen doesn't ask what "behave themselves" means exactly, but clearly they decided they couldn't. Jensen doesn't miss him but he wonders if the rest of the group does. He's grateful for their acceptance but he's also aware his presence causes a rift.

He's pulled out of his thoughts when Mrs. Amell starts arranging them. Jared looks extremely uncomfortable and Mrs. Amell has to keep telling him to "smile, Jay, you have such adorable dimples! You should show them off!" That seems to embarrass him even more. Jensen finds it sweet, a word he never thought he'd use in describing Jared let alone more than once in one night.  

Felicia looks a bit overwhelmed. Misha has probably been wise to keep her isolated from the entirety of this group. Feeling sympathetic, he tries to hang near her and make funny comments about the insanity to help her relax. By the time they're getting in their respective vehicles, she's laughing and joking with the rest of them and Misha looks grateful.

***

The gym is decorated like every Disney fairytale movie. There's a cardboard castle wrapped in rose vines for couples to pose in front of for memorable photos. A castle staircase (built by the drama club) decked in gold and twinkle lights leads to nowhere behind a bubbling fountain. Rapunzel's tower is in the corner with gold tulle draped from the window to the floor. The tables are draped in metallic gold and silver cloths with acrylic clear heels, plastic apples with a bite taken out, and little toadstools with fairies sitting on them. Paper lanterns and twinkle lights wrapped in white and silver tulle cover the ceiling to complete the experience. 

Jared actually freezes when they step through the door. The level of cute surrounding him scares him way more than hospitals. He's already gone above and beyond what he agreed to, right? He's in a jacket and an ironed shirt, he suffered the unpleasantness of going to the florist, and he listened to a 30 minute lecture on the responsibility of borrowing the car. Plus, he arrived and stepped into...this. Technically, he's at the prom, right? He's fulfilled his obligation. Right?

"Come on, let's get some punch." Jensen takes the edge of his sleeve and leads him into the belly of  _ Beauty & the Beast _ . 

_ Crap _ .

Jared can't help but notice the shock and surprise on some people's faces when they turn to look at Jensen and him as they make their way through the center of the room. He understands the feeling. What the fuck is he doing here? He could be back in the basement doing anything but this.

"Here, drink this." Jensen hands him a cup of punch and Jared hopes it's spiked. "Try to relax and look like you want to be here," Jensen says quietly through a forced smile.

Jared nods slowly. "Okay."

"Just focus on how much you don't give a shit about any of this," Jensen suggests.

Jared thinks about that. Yeah, he can do that. He's good at pretending he doesn't give a shit. He releases a long breath. "Yeah, okay."

He's resisting the urge to loosen the bolo and unbutton the top button of his shirt when he catches sight of Jensen's brother Josh glaring at him. Josh is a senior and a jock and also popular and Jared is certain the look Josh is giving him is not a good thing. Apparently, Jensen didn't tell his brother who his date was. He's actually kind of proud of Jensen for that.

"Ohmigod, Jensen, everything turned out so beautiful," Kristen appears next to Jensen. She offers both of them a genuine smile.

"Thanks," Jensen says.

Jared's never been so glad to see a friendly face outside of their inner circle.

"I hope both of you'll save me a dance later," she says.

"Sure," Jensen says.

"Yeah, cool," Jared says.

"I gotta get back to my date. See y'all later." She gives each of them a kiss on their cheeks and skitters back to a table of cheerleaders and jocks. Amy waves from where she's sitting on the lap of some guy Jared knows he's seen in Franklin.

Immediately afterward like they've been declared no longer untouchable, other classmates drift by to tell Jensen they love the decorations and the theme is wonderful. Jared stands off to the side and lets Jensen bask in the limelight. Finally, he catches Jensen's attention and motions to the table the others are sitting at. Jensen smiles and nods.

Jared's almost to the table when Matt grabs his arm. Jared yanks his arm away as he turns. "What is your malfunction?" Jared asks.

"Dude, you brought Jensen to the prom!" Matt seethes. "You totally dogged me. You're supposed to be my friend."

Jared straightens his jacket without taking his eyes off Matt. "First of all, I didn't dog you because Jensen's not yours."

"But the bro code, dude. You don't go after a bro's ex," he whines.

"Two words. Justin. Hartley."

Matt actually sounds regretful. "He's not your ex. You don't do relationships."

"Man, this shitty town isn't big enough for us to never date anyone the other's seen. And then there's the fact that I don't actually care what you think."

Matt looks angry. "Yeah, well, you're an asshole."

Jared shrugs. "Never said I wasn't."

"And you're a hypocrite."

Jared takes a deep breath. "Oh, this should be good. Please, expand on that thought."

"You said it yourself. Jensen's a flowers and candy kind of guy. He wants a relationship. You don't do relationships. So if you screw around with him, you're doing the same thing you threatened me not to do."

Jared raises his eyebrows. He's kind of surprised Matt was paying attention even if he didn't follow Jared's advice. He's about to tell Matt that he's just here as Jensen's friend when something more delicious occurs to him. Yeah, too bad Jensen's not around for this.

"I haven't made any promises to Jensen. He's completely fine with the way things are," he says with a smirk. It's not a lie.

Matt sees red and he raises his arm like he's going to punch Jared. Jared grabs his arm and forces it down, stepping in close. "Go back to your skanky date, Matt. You've got no right to care what Jensen and I do. So stay away from both of us." His tone suggests a promise of something dangerous.

Matt glares at him another few seconds before he pulls his arm away. He looks around and Jared can see the moment Matt realizes people are watching, including Rachel Miner. Rachel does not look happy. Matt forces a smile on his face. "This isn't over, Jay."

"Bring it on." Jared watches Matt hurry back to his date and a heated exchange begin. He can see Jensen standing with some Drama Club kids. Jensen's watching him with concern etched on his face.

Jared smiles at him and walks over. "Hey," he takes Jensen's hand. "Let's dance."

Jensen is kind of slow to react, but he quickly moves to catch up as Jared leads him to the dance floor. It's a slow song, which Jared actually can do. It's just holding on and swaying. Jared puts his hands on Jensen's waist and Jensen puts his hands on Jared's shoulders. They start to sway to the music.

"What was that about?" Jensen says quietly.

Jared shrugs. "Teenage drama."

Jensen narrows his eyes. "No, really."

"If you really want to know, Matt's just being an asshole. He thinks you should be pining for him. I told him to fuck off."

Jensen looks thoughtful. "Ohmigod! He's jealous!" He looks extremely pleased.

"Yeah. Does it matter?"

Jensen considers it. He shakes his head. "No. You know, I really think I'm over him."

"Good for you. He's not worth wasting a single second dwelling on. What you need to do is find someone who isn't a dick."

Jensen hums in response. After a few versus, Jensen just stops dancing. "Hey, let's get out of here."

"But...the prom just started."

"Yeah, but it's not important anymore. I just wanted to show everyone I'm not broken, and I did that. Thanks to you."

Jared doesn't have a serious answer for that so he sticks with being flippant. "Glad I could help." He's not wasting any time after that. He grabs Jensen's hand and starts leading him to the door. "Now let's get out of this Fantasy Land Annex before the silverware starts a floor show."

They barely have time to wave to the others before they leave.

They spend the rest of prom night bowling, and Jared doesn't hate it.


	4. part III

Stephen and Emily are already at The Hub when Jensen and Misha arrive. By the time they get sodas and snacks, Emily looks like she's going to burst. She grabs Jensen's arm and forces him into the seat next to her.

"Ohmigod, Jensen! Like five people asked about you and Jay today!"

"Yeah, Kristen told me Matthew's going around telling people we're together," Jensen says a little shyly.

"Well, those aren't really the words he's using," Misha says before stuffing a French fry in his mouth.

"Yeah, but I don't think everyone who's curious talked to Matt," Stephen says.

Emily nods. "True. Amy said she'd never thought she'd see Jay at a school dance, let alone prom. She said you're either blackmailing him or he's smitten -- her words, not mine."

"And since Jay doesn't give a shit about anything, there's no way it's blackmail," Misha says.

Jensen can't deny that the thought Jared might actually like him that way gives him butterflies in his stomach. He's not sure how it happened, but he's sure the night of prom sealed the deal. He's the one smitten.

"But...isn't Jared going to be mad everyone's talking about him?" Jensen asks.

Stephen shrugs. "Like Meesh said, Jay doesn't give a shit what anyone says about him."

"But what about you, Jense?" Emily says. "You don't really want people to think you're one of Jay's hookups, do you?"

Jensen had faced the firing squad the next morning after his brother ratted him out. He thought that might happen so he was prepared for the lecture. His parents, particularly his mom, were not pleased.

Jensen shrugs. "I don't care. As long as my real friends know the truth." He'd been honest with the few people who asked him if he and Jared were together. Just friends. For some reason, he died a little every time he spoke the words.

"We're your real friends?" Misha says teasing.

Stephen and Emily lean in together and say, "Awwwww."

Misha grins and gives Jensen a one-armed hug and a wet kiss on his cheek.  "We love you too."

"Thanks," he says wiping his cheek. "I think."

They drift into gossiping about what happened at the prom after Jared and Jensen left. Apparently, Rich left with Rob's date. Three of the cheerleaders got into a catfight and knocked over the punchbowl, which was a shame because someone had spiked it not 15 minutes earlier. Lisa and Eric were caught in the boys locker room.

And Jensen realizes he doesn't really care about any of that, and he's aware that just a few months ago, all of this would be more important than world events.

Jared walks in and comes straight to the table. He grabs a free chair, spins it around and straddles it. "Hey," he says.

"Hey," they all say.

"So…" Jensen says but ends up too nervous to ask anything.

Fortunately Emily isn't that shy. "Jay, you two were the talk of school today."

Jared nods. "Yeah, I heard." He glances at Jensen before turning his attention to the sugar packets on the table.

"So you heard what Matt's saying?" Stephen asks.

"You're not going to hit him are you?" Emily says.

Jared's head snaps up to look Emily in the eyes. Jensen can see they are cold and hard. Jared's gritting his teeth and he looks like he wants to say something but changes his mind. He looks away, fiddling with a sugar pack. "This time. I'm letting it go. Because we go back, but he doesn't get anymore passes." He takes a deep breath. "Besides, it's not gonna matter tomorrow anyway."

"What'd you mean," Misha asks, dipping a fry in a mixture of mustard and ketchup.

"I stopped for smokes on my way over here. Rachel was in the store. She was buying a pregnancy test." He hasn't looked back up and he seems uncomfortable just telling them.

"Ohmigod!" Emily and Jensen  say in unison while Stephen and Misha gape at him. Then Stephen starts laughing until Emily elbows him.

"Kristen and Amy were there. "Jared looks up at his friends with a schooled expression. "Even if she's not knocked up, they'll tell everyone. No one'll be talking about you or me or possibly even prom by the end of the day."

"That is so evil," Misha says.

"Not my idea. I wouldn't even have said anything, but...I figured it'd be better from me than someone else." His eyes are on Jensen and Jensen can see a bit of sadness beneath the discomfort. Jared finally looks down at his hands.

"Oh, man, poor guy," Emily says.

"Poor guy?" Stephen says. "He brought it on himself."

"Still, he's still in high school," Emily says.

"If he hadn't cheated on Jensen, this would never have happened," Stephen says.

Jensen can't decide how he feels about this. He kind of feels sorry for Matthew like Emily but he also agrees with Stephen. Mostly, he feels relieved he's not involved with Matthew anymore.

"You're quiet," Misha says quietly close to his ear.

Jensen shrugs. "I'm still processing."

Misha nods and joins the ongoing discussion about Matthew's plight.

Emily and Misha are clearly torn about whether to reach out to Matthew. The rift between them has been increasing over time. In a weird coincidence, as Jensen's become closer to Matthew's friends, Matthew's been weaseling his way into Jensen's old popular clique, thanks to Rachel. It's clear Stephen and Jared don't want anything to do with him, but Emily and Misha still feel some loyalty. After all, Matthew has been part of their group most of their lives. Jensen's touched by their support.

Barely listening to the discussion, Jensen looks up and catches Jared watching him with an unreadable expression.

***

Jared is sitting on Emily's stoop. Emily has her head on his shoulder and her hand wrapped around his arm. He's playing with his lighter in his other hand. He's just a placeholder until Stephen finishes his homework. He always takes longer than Jared.

"Could've been you," she says without preamble, but he knows exactly what she's talking about.

"Maybe," he says simply. He doesn't like to think about it. Trapped tied to someone for the rest of his life because of a baby. That's what happened to his mom when she got pregnant with his older brother. Of course, when Jeff's dad skipped town, he took Jeff with him. And even though, his dad married his mom when she got pregnant,  he skipped town breaking all ties, so clearly if he wanted to be a bastard, he could repeat history and no one would be surprised.

But it's not Jared. He's not the one who maybe got a girl pregnant. He's relieved and he almost feels bad about it. Sure, he pretty much hates Matt for being a dickhead and treating someone as naive as Jensen like shit. Still, he wouldn't wish  _ this _ on him.

He runs the hand without the lighter through his hair.

"But I'm not considering celibacy, if that's what you're wondering," he says.

"God, forbid." She smiles and bumps him with her shoulder.

"What about you? You and Stephen…" Jared starts to make an inappropriate gesture and thinks better of it.

She sobers up. "We're waiting for the right time, you know?" she says softly with a faint blush. "We want it to be special."

"But careful," he adds without looking at her and without explaining.

She nods.

"You guys...I think you'll make it," he admits and he feels a little sad for himself.

***

Jared's right about the way teenage gossip is fickle. One minute someone has a horrendous pimple and the next there's a breakup or a pregnancy scare to distract until the next thing happens.

However, there's still one person who wants to talk about prom by Tuesday afternoon. Josh Ackles is waiting for him when Jared gets to the garage. The look Beaver gives him from inside is bewildered. Jared remembers when no one stopped by to see him at work and now it's like he's holding court or something.

Jared sighs as he takes his helmet off and hooks it to the bike.

"Trouble with your car?" Jared asks, knowing perfectly well that's not what Josh is here about.

"Trouble with you," Josh growls . He's clearly trying to stare down Jared, but Jared's about an inch taller.

Jared raises both hands. "Hey, man, I don't know what-"

"You know exactly why I'm here, Padalecki. Stay away from my brother," he says stalking over to get right in Jared's face.

Jared has to work really hard not to laugh because Josh might be on the basketball and baseball teams, but Jared doubts he's ever had to throw a punch or take one.

"Look,  Ackles, I don't know what you think is going on but we're just friends." When he realizes that isn't improving the situation, Jared ads, "Look, I live at the Amell's, Stephen is dating Emily and she and Jensen are like besties. We can't escape each other, yeah? But it's not like we're hooking up."

Josh studies him. "Better stay that way or I'm gonna come looking for you. Got it?"

"Got it," Jared nods.

What's with everyone threatening him lately?

***

Jared's prediction that no one would be talking about their prom appearance was mostly true. Other teenage drama plus the pregnancy scare have pretty much taken over most of the gossip.  

He's had time to process everything about Matthew. At prom Jensen realized how he wasn't heartbroken anymore. He's smart enough to understand he''ll probably always have some feelings toward Matthew. After all, Matthew was his first real love. Even if Jensen wasn't his. And doubtless, the hurt and anger will lessen over time. 

The whole situation has led him on a journey of self-discovery, just as he told Jared. He thinks he's a little less starry eyed and a little less self-centered. He certainly has changed his mind about whether social class reflects a person's value and neither is more important that a person's character.

So, Jensen decides what he's really sad about isn't the breakup itself or the betrayal, but that it took those things to knock him off his quixotic pedestal. He's glad it's given him the chance to find real friends who accept him despite how he treated them before or what his social class is.

While he's been working all of that out, he hasn't been actively searching out the others. He hasn't necessarily been avoiding them but outside of class, he's kept to himself, blaming it on being inundated by end-of-year major assignments.

So, when Friday evening turns up, he's surprised to realize he hasn't even stopped in at the garage after school to keep Jared company all week. He realizes he has come to look forward to their random chit chat. Well, okay, mostly it's him doing the chit and chat and Jared adding random monosyllabic answers, but he's enjoyed spending that time with Jared.

And that is another little ping in his head that maybe he likes Jared just a little more than as a friend, which is probably a really bad idea.

Jensen decides to bring a few bags of chips and candy for Misha as part of his offering to DVD movie night. When he arrives, it's just Emily, Stephen and Misha in the basement. Emily and Misha are playing Candyland and Stephen is toying with a ragged looking Rubix Cube.

"Hey," Jensen says.

"Hey," Stephen says and tosses the toy into a box on the wagon wheel table.

"Hey, Jensen!" Emily grins.

"You're just in time to see me totally annihilate Em," Misha grins.

"Um. I don't think you can annihilate someone in a child's game," Jensen says. "Heads up, Misha."    

Misha barely has time to look up before Jensen tosses him a bag of M&Ms.

Stephen uses the distraction to tip over the Candyland board.

"Hey!" Misha says.

Emily and Stephen laugh and Emily hugs her boyfriend. 

"I guess we'll never know who would have won now," Emily says happily.

Misha pouts but quickly gets over it when he realizes the M&Ms have peanuts.

"I also have snacks for the rest of us," Jensen offers to Stephen.

"Cool," Stephen says and tosses them onto the table.

"What movies are we watching?" Jensen asks, plopping into the broken recliner.

" _ The Transporter _ and  _ Star Trek _ ," Emily says tearing into a bag of chips.

"Better than that girly stuff you would have picked," Stephen pokes her playfully.

Emily rolls her eyes.

Jared comes down the stairs from the kitchen.

Before Jensen can say hello, Misha says, "Hey, man, weren't you going out?"

"Yeah," Jared sits in his usual spot on the patio chair. "Later. Hey, Jensen."

"Hey...where are you going?" Jensen asks just as he catches a glimpse of a hickey peaking above Jared's Led Zeppelin t-shirt collar. He feels his stomach drop at the sight. He tries to ignore the surge of jealousy wondering who could have given it too him.

Jared shrugs, watching the muted  _ Wheel of Fortune _ . "Date."

"Oh." Feeling a little heat on his cheeks, Jensen hopes his disappointment doesn't sound as clear as he thinks it does. He has no reason to be hurt. It's not like they're dating, just because Jared took him to prom and even dressed up to do it. Jared just sees him as a friend.

The way Emily changes the subject, Jensen wonders if she's caught on or if they just don't want to talk about it. 

Thinking about it he can't recall any of them ever talking about Jared dating anyone. He knows he's seen Jared with Kristen and he knows about bowling alley Sandy. Then there was Justin, but everyone knows about that. He's never heard of Jared dating anyone seriously and no one in the group talks about Jared's love life.

Jensen decides to go along with denial and waits for a break in the conversation. "Oh, I almost forgot. My parents are going out of town."

"Party at Jensen's!" Misha exclaims.

"Uh. Yeah, but just us -- and Felicia, if you want," he says to Misha. "I was thinking it's been so nice out, we can have a pool party, maybe cookout."

"Em in a bikini, I'm there," Stephen grins.

She elbows him in the stomach.

"Ow! Boney!" Stephen rubs where she elbowed him, but it's clear he's joking.

"Sounds good to me," Misha says. "I'll see if Fe can come."

"I'm in too," Emily says.

"Jared?" Jensen asks, heart in his throat.

Jared lazily turns to look at him. "I don't know, Jensen. I'm not really a swim shorts kind of guy."

"What? Are swim shorts part of some great conspiracy?" Misha asks.

Jared glares at him. "Everything is some great conspiracy."

"You don't have to go in the pool. Just come for the cookout," Jensen says hopefully.

"I have work," Jared says.

"Come after," Emily says. "It'll still be going on, right, Jense?"

"Yeah, sure it will." Jensen has never loved her more.

Jared runs a hand through his hair, leaving it looking artfully dishevelled, something Jensen assumes is Jared's super-power. "Yeah, okay."

Emily and Misha start planning the party with Jensen and that's the end of Jared's part in the discussion. 

When Jared leaves around 9 almost at the end of  _ The Transporter _ , Jensen reminds himself Jared's not his and he has no right to be jealous of whichever girl he's going to be with that night.

***

They decided to go to Centerville to the new miniature golf course, Around the World in 18 Holes, on Saturday. When Jensen climbs into the backseat of Stephen's disaster of a car, he notices it's just the four of them again.

"No Jared?" he asks as they pull away from his house.

"Nah," Stephen says.

"He's grounded," Misha says likes it's the most amazing thing he's ever heard.

"Grounded?" Jensen says.

"Yeah, I don't think he's ever been grounded before in his life," Emily says. "He's probably more surprised than anyone."

"What'd he do?"

"Came home at 2. Completely wasted," Stephen says.

"What?" Jensen says.

"Yeah, my dad was furious. They got into this huge cliche argument," Stephen says. "You know, the whole 'you're not my dad, you can't tell me what to do' and 'as long as you live under my roof, you'll live by my rules'."

"But tell him the rest, Steve," Emily says.

"Oh, yeah, the best part -- I mean, not good for Jay, but hilarious anyway," Stephen says. "While Dad is yelling at Jay for coming home so late drinking, Danni came through the backdoor, trying to be quiet with her shoes in her hand and way more drunk than Jay."

Emily and Misha snicker and Stephen looks like the cat who caught the canary.

"What happened then?" Jensen asks, wide-eyed.

Stephen shrugs. "He got grounded."

"Just work and school for 2 weeks, but Mrs. A got it reduced to 1 week on account that he's never been grounded before," Emily says.

"Yeah, I think my mom likes him better than me," Stephen says. "If it'd been me, she'd have added 2 more weeks."

Misha snorts.

"Well…" Jensen rubs his forehead with this information overload. "Is this...I mean...does he do that often?"

Emily shrugs. "Occasionally, I guess."

"You know, you've been to those parties, right?" Misha says. "Matt said y'all went to Demore's big blowout last year." He looks almost reluctant to bring it up.

"Yeah, but I didn't…" Okay, he's had a few cups of beer but Matthew was drunk enough to be extra handsy and he remembers being extra annoyed. "I only had a little to drink there...but I haven't heard about Jared being drunk since I started hanging out with you. Or at least since the you know."

"Jay doesn't tell us everything, you know," Stephen says. "What's the big deal anyway?"

"Uh…" What  _ is _ the big deal? Jensen just never thought about Jared drinking. Or at least he hasn't since he's started getting to know him. It wouldn't have surprised him before. He would have just assumed Jared was taking after his mother, repeating history and he would have been disapproving and judgemental. "I don't know. I guess it's not." Maybe he just thought Jared didn't fit into the pigeon-hole everyone else puts him in.

He pushes the whole train of thought to the back  of his mind and just enjoys the evening, particularly Misha's goofy antics and the competitiveness between Emily and Stephen.

***

Jared's been feeling uneasy in his own skin since the Sunday after prom, more so after the rumors he heard on Monday. Some were his fault, he knows, because Matt was only passing on what Matt inferred from Jared's innuendo. Some were simply because Jared has never gone to a dance in his life and has made his feelings on the subject well known. Some people assumed he and Jensen were together and that Jensen had to be really talented at the things Jared is interested in, and that's the most polite version he heard.

Jensen doesn't deserve either assumption. Jared is pissed at himself for muddying Jensen reputation just by association. Funny that the one person he actually isn't fucking is the one everyone is talking about.

He feels guilty about it. Jensen's his friend. He doesn't want any of his friends' reputation dragged down by his.

Then there's the fact that Jensen never stopped by the garage all week. He's irked that bothers him, but apparently he's gotten used to listening to Jensen's prattle, and he kind of likes it. Damn it. He knows it's not like listening to Emily's or Misha's chatter, but he refuses to even consider what that means.

So in an effort to release some of the tension building inside him, he hooked up with Kristen Thursday after work, and, sure enough, she knew exactly what to do to take his mind off of everything. 

Then he felt awkward when he did actually see Jensen and he just couldn't bring himself to ask Jensen where he's been, why he hasn't been by the garage. You know, because he doesn't give a shit. Really. He doesn't. That's what he's going to keep telling himself. And he felt weird about saying he was going on a date with Jensen looking at him like...like something Jared needs to distance himself from.

So he'd gone with Kristen and Amy to Welling's party in Franklin, and wouldn't that have been a memorable distraction if they'd both been into that. Instead, he hit the keg to get a nice buzz going, and he'd been well on his way too when Kristen and Amy were ready to leave, so he stayed and they left. He figured he could get a ride home, even if he had to beg a ride from Danni. As much as they hate each other, he and Danni ended up playing quarters with a few others. He doesn't remember much after that. He thinks Danni might have tried to put her hand down his pants at some point, and he hopes that's not true, but if it is, he hopes absolutely nothing happened, because if it did, he needs to bathe in disinfectant and get himself tested for every STD known to man. 

He's never going to drink again. Or at least not that much.

He does know he and Danni didn't come home together because, well -- he's mostly been able to piece together the argument with Mr. A and Danni's excellent timing thanks to his foggy memory and a retelling by Stephen and the Amells'. He's apologized for both the things he remembers saying and the ones he's been told he said.

Apparently, Jared's now grounded. He's never actually been grounded before. His mom never cared what time he came in or what time he left or where he went as long as he replaced whatever cigarettes and beer he took. He's not sure how this whole thing works. He's been told he can only go to school and work for the next week. No TV. No video games. No friends. And apparently the Amells have him figured out because he's not allowed to read anything that isn't assigned. They confiscated his books. 

All he can do is lay on his bed and stare at the ceiling or, when he gets bored with that, his posters on the walls. And of course, that gives him way too much time to think. Especially about things he shouldn't be thinking about, because even imagining Jensen gorgeous and naked laid out beneath him makes him feel guilty, so very, very guilty.

***

Tuesday, Jensen drops in at the garage. Jared isn't working on any cars. He's just manning the gas pumps and register so he's reclining back with his boots on the counter and tossing a ball up and down.

"Hey." Jensen sets a to-go cup on the counter. "Thought you be thirsty or something."

Jared sits up so quickly he almost tips over.

"Wow. Thanks, Jensen," he smiles with those dimples on display and Jensen wants to lick them. "Pull up a stool. Take a load off. I am  _ so _ bored."

Jensen grabs the extra stool and brushes off the top before sitting.

Jared takes off the top of the cup and takes a sip. "So…"

"So...I heard what happened," Jensen says.

"Yeah, epic fail on my part, right?"

Jensen grimaces. "Dude, what were you thinking?" 

"Well, according to Mr. A, I wasn't thinking," Jared says soberly. "You're not here to lecture me too, are you?"

"Um, no," Jensen says, realizing he actually was and he's not Jared's parent or boyfriend so he has no right to say anything.

"Good, cuz I don't need another lecture," Jared says.

Jensen nods. He lets a minute or so go by while Jared drinks his soda. "So…," Jensen says. "Are you going to be sprung by Saturday?"

Jared looks puzzled for a second and then nods. "Don't worry, I'll probably be at your little pool party."

Jensen is both secretly thrilled and hurt by the words. He's happy Jared's coming but there's a bit of contempt in the tone.

"Cool," Jensen says, feigning a smile.

Jared nods. 

"So, haven't seen you much since prom," Jensen says.

After he drinks more soda, Jared says, "Yeah, well, you know, work, school, party, this whole grounding thing -- you know, it's the first party I wished I never went to."

"Because you got grounded?" Jensen asks, genuinely curious. 

"Partly. Also, the hangover was a bitch. And I was too wasted to really have a good time. Or at least remember if I did." Jared leans forward like he's about to confide something personal.

Jensen automatically follows suit.

Jared loudly whispers, "Plus,  _ dude _ , I think - uh - someone tried to molest me." He nods with shocked sincerity written on his face.

Jensen bites back a laugh at Jared's expression. He doesn't even feel jealous someone had their hands on Jared.  "And you didn't want them too?"

"No!" Jared looks insulted. "I'm not that much of a slut."

Jensen smirks. "Good to know."

Jared studies his face and then breaks into a smile, which turns into a laugh.

Jensen takes that as the go ahead to laugh too.

"So, how was the mini golf? Was it as corny as expected?" Jared asks.

Still smiling, Jensen says, "You would have loved making fun of every single bit of it. It's so incredibly cartoonish. I think they used part of Franklin High's set from  _ My Fair Lady _ for London."

"Emily said something about it looking like crap."

Jensen nods enthusiastically.

They continue to talk about what Jared missed out on until someone drives up for gas. Then Jensen reluctantly leaves with a "see you tomorrow."

On his way home, Jensen dwells on how Jared was actually conversing with him instead of listening and grunting in all the right places while he works. It was like that night on the overlook. Maybe they're getting past the awkwardness the whole prom thing caused.

***

Jared's not sure why he told Jensen about the party. He didn't tell any of the others anything except what a horrible hangover he had. Still, he's glad he got a laugh out of Jensen and even a good-natured snarky remark.

However, he's less excited about Jensen's visit to the garage on Wednesday. He's trying to hunt down a loose wire and Jensen's trying to have a heart-to-heart. Jared wants to tell him that's what Emily's for, but he's sure Emily would hit him and she can really hit when she wants. He's a lot more afraid of her now than in first grade. So he let's Jensen talk.

"...You know, I really thought I'd be upset when I heard about the whole Matthew-pregnancy thing." Jensen's sitting on a towel on the workbench dangling his feet and drinking a milkshake. "But, really, I'm not. I don't feel anything except pity. And relief. An overwhelming feeling of relief."

"From what I remember from biology, that couldn't have been you," Jared says.

Jared doesn't need to see Jensen roll his eyes to know he has. "Good to know you were paying attention that day," Jensen says back.

Jared stands up from under the hood and gives Jensen a thoughtful look. He smiles. "Good one." He goes right back to work and ads, "You're coming along nicely, grasshopper."

"You know, I was snarky before you came along," Jensen says with an exasperated sigh.

"Yeah, but now you're mastering the true art of snark," he says with a measure of both pride and amusement.

"Okay, think whatever you want."

"I usually do."

To Jared's disappointment, Jensen has not been diverted from his original train of thought. "Anyway, I just feel relief that I found out when I did. At the time it felt like the end of the world and, yeah, the whole thing threw my whole self-perception out of whack, and, okay, it turns out my friends were self-absorbed, tiny-minded snobs, but…"

Jensen's quiet so long, Jared stops working to look at him. Jensen looks perplexed.

"But?" Jared asks, mentally kicking himself as he does.

"I forgot where I was going with that," Jensen says and then laughs.

Jared gives him a small smile, "I think you were about to the part where you proclaim yourself over Matt."

Jensen tilts his head in thought. "Yeah, I am."

Jared nods and goes back to work. "Good. 'Cuz he's a dick."

"He wasn't always a dick, you know. Things were good in the beginning."

Jared gives up on finding the wire. Instead he slams the hood down. "Jensen, don't take this the wrong way, but he's always been a dick. You're the only one who ever thought he wasn't." He immediately regrets saying it out loud because Jensen looks like a kicked puppy. "But -uh- " He rubs the back of his neck. "Maybe you saw a side of him the rest of us didn't see."

"Yeah, I'm sure," Jensen says, staring at his dangling feet. "Anyway, what time do you think you'll get to my house on Saturday?"

Jared sighs inwardly, hating he hurt Jensen's feelings but refusing to apologize. It's better he keep reminding them both he's a dick in his own right.

"I can probably get out of here by 2-2:30," he says, grabbing a cloth to wipe off his dirty hands.

"Cool."

***

Emily almost never visits him at work so he's suspicious when she brings him cheese fries and apparently his intuition is dead on because as soon as there's a heavenly cheese fry in his mouth, she says, "Jay, what are you gonna do about Jensen?"

Jared takes his time chewing and swallowing the fry because this conversation can't go anywhere good. "What about him?"

"Oh, please, you know what I'm talking about," she says.

Jared gives her his best innocent look, the same one he gives Mrs. A when he's eaten the last cookie. "No, I really don't."

She puts her hands on her hips. "Jared Tristan Padalecki, if you think I don't know everything about you after 10 years, you're mistaken."

He winces at the use of his full name. Really, what the fuck was his mom thinking.  _ Tristan _ ? Seriously.

"Well, I was hoping you'd forget the milk-through-the-nose incident in junior high," he says.

She purses her lips. "Don't try to change the subject."

He sighs with great exaggeration. "I don't suppose we can avoid this conversation, can we? You know, pretend we had it and forget about it?"

"No. Now I know you like him," she says.

"I like lots of people." When he sees her incredulous expression, he says, "Well, I like  _ some _ people. I like you guys and he's one of you guys, okay?"

"You know that's not what I meant."

"Em, what do you want me to say? Okay, I've noticed he's attractive. So what? Nothing's going to come of it."

"Why not?"

"Because...Two reasons. First, he's a friend and getting involved with a friend is a bad idea."

"Not necessarily, look at me and Stephen."

"Oh, come on, the two of you were always going to get together, once you stopped shoving him into the jungle gym."

"Jay, that's a lame excuse. Lots of friendships grow into great relationships."

"And more fail."

"That doesn't mean you shouldn't try."

He frowns at her. "Okay, we disagree on that. But, the second is more important -- I would be a hypocrite if I even considered it."

"How?"

"Because Jensen is one of those relationship-kind-of-people, just like I told Matt, and I? Am not, if you recall. He doesn't deserve a repeat performance."

"Why? Because you can't keep it in your pants or you don't want to?" she says,.

"Because. I don't want to be tied down, Em. I'm getting out of here the first chance I get and I'm not looking back. I'm not looking to put down roots, alright?"

"It's just high school, Jay. It's not a prison sentence. You can be happy without commiting your whole life."

He frowns at her and offers her the cheese fries back. "I'm done with this conversation."

She frowns but doesn't take the container. "Fine. But we're not done talking about it."

As she's leaving, he yells after her, "We are  _ so _ done!" 

***

Jared shows up at Jensen's house on Saturday around 3pm. He gives Jensen a grocery bag of chips he evidently bought on his way over. He's obviously taken a shower after work and he's wearing a clean t-shirt. He seemed unusually nervous about being in Jensen's house. He even offers to take his work boots off at the door. It's only after Jared's on the patio where there's nothing expensive to break that he relaxes.

Jensen tries not to act like a giddy school girl. Jared looks as good as ever. Maybe better.

An hour later, Jared and Stephen have the grill fired up and are discussing the best way to cook the burgers. Misha is showing off for Felicia in the pool. Meanwhile, Jensen and Emily are sunning on lounge chairs. From behind his sunglasses, Jensen's trying to surreptitiously admire the way Jared's muscles move under his shirt and the way his ass fits in those skinny jeans.

"He's never gonna make the first move," Emily says breaking Jensen out of his enthralling trance.

"What?" Jensen's head snaps around to look at her.

She gives him a knowing look.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he says.

"I'm not blind," she says.

"God, does everyone know?" 

She shakes her head. "No one's mentioned it to me."

He sighs forlornly and rubs his forehead to fight the oncoming headache. "Well, it doesn't matter. He barely tolerates me."

She tsks at him. "Please. You're not as smart as I thought you were if that's what you think."

"He's so hot and cold."

"It's part of his charm," she smirks.

"It's not that charming," he says.

She shrugs with a sly smile. "It's a defense mechanism, and he's not gonna change without the right motivation. "

"And what's the right motivation?" Jensen asks.

She shrugs. "The right person at the right time is my guess."

Jensen snorts. "This isn't a movie, Emily."

"Doesn't mean we can't take some lessons from them, right?" She smirks. "The thing you gotta ask yourself is: how bad do you want him? What are you willing to do to get what you want?"

Jensen bites his bottom lip.

"Look, Jense, you can't approach this like you would any other crush, right? Jay's gonna bolt if you approach him with the idea directly. You gotta slip under his radar. Let him know you're interested but you're okay if he isn't."

"You mean, put myself out there? What if he stops hanging out with me?"

"That's a risk you gotta take," she says. "The second part of the plan is to show him how you don't need him, you're not planning your life around whether or not you're together."

Jensen gives her a confused look. Why would do that?

"Trust me, that's important. Jay doesn't like planning ahead. He's a week to week kind of guy. He definitely doesn't want to think about the future."

"Okay."

"There. That's my advice. Take it or leave it. Keep in mind this is all theory since Jay's never actually dated-dated anyone. Ever," she grins.

Just then there's a ruckus by the grill and they look up in time to see Jared push Stephen in the pool. Stephen comes up from the water sputtering. They're laughing. "You are so dead, Padalecki!"

"Bite me, Amell!" Jay banters back. Jensen's never seen him so relaxed and...happy.

***

Stephen glances over his shoulder at Emily and Jensen. "What d'you think they're talking about?"

"They're either plotting world domination or they're making fun of your scrawny legs," Jay replies, poking the coals on the barbeque. 

Stephen laughs. "Hey! My legs are not scrawny! You're the one who won't wear shorts. What are you hiding?"

"I'll have you know I've had quite a few compliments on my legs -- particularly the power and strength-"

"Oh, gross! I don't want to hear about that!" Stephen shoves him.

Jared cackles and shoves him back. Stephen stumbles back into the pool.

Stephen comes up from the water sputtering. They're laughing. "You are so dead, Padalecki!"

"Bite me, Amell!" Jay banters back. 

***

Later, the others have gone and it's just Jensen and Jared. They've cleaned things up and now they're just reclining in pool chairs with just the pool light and the stars above. Jensen's given Jared one of his father's ashtrays.

Jared's enjoying the release smoking gives him. It's as if the smoke carries away whatever troubles he might have. Up, up, until it dissipates and there's no worries left. And he's soaking up the silence, enjoying how comfortable it is to just be and not at all uncomfortable that Jensen is a part of it.

"Can I ask you a question?" Jensen says. 

Jared knows Jensen's been watching him even though his own eyes have been closed for a while.  "Sure." He takes another hit off his cigarette.

"How does it work?" Jensen asks tentatively.

"How does what work?" Jared says.

"The whole no strings attached thing you've got going on," Jensen says.

Jared opens an eye to peer at Jensen. Jensen is peering quite intently back. He's moved so he's sitting on the side of the chair facing Jared.

Jared closes his eye. "Why?"

"I'm just curious."

Jared sighs and sits up so he's mirroring Jensen. He stubs out his cigarette. "Jensen, you missed out on my big rantings on relationships, so I'm going to just give you some Cliff Notes, yeah?"

Jensen nods warily.

Jared leans forward as if he's confiding the secret to the universe. "Here's the thing, I enjoy a good time and so do the people I fool around with, but I don't kiss and tell. I never subject them or my friends to each other. And most importantly, everyone involved are free agents with no expectations for that to change."

Jensen's blushing and Jared does not think it's cute. Nope.

"Okay...but I don't want to hear the intimate details. You know, the kiss and tell stuff."

Jared quirks an eyebrow at him.

"I'm just curious how the whole thing works, you know? Do you just walk up to someone you want to- um…"

"Hook up with?" 

Jared can see Jensen visibly wince at the word choice.

"Yeah, um, that. Is there some sort of negotiation?" Jensen says.

Jared sits back and tries to imagine what's going on in Jensen's mind. With a lopsided smile, he says, "Jensen, we're in high school. We're supposed to be discovering ourselves and part of that is discovering what and who interests ourselves. Not every date is a step toward the altar. Most people just date to enjoy each other's company. It's not even all about sex. Sure, it can lead to that. As a teenage guy, I think that's probably the best part, but it's not all there is."

"So you don't sleep with everyone you date?"

"No...but I do kind of attract the kind of girls looking for that sort of company." He shrugs with a smug look.

"And nobody gets jealous?"

Jared flashes back to Justin Hartley. That had been a huge mistake. The boy was unhinged but he covered it well. At first. "It's happened once or twice, I guess. I don't make any promises to anyone, but I can't control the things people assume. I try to be upfront from the beginning, you know?"

"Yeah," Jensen says.

"But what's with the questions? And don't give me that curiosity crap. My sex life might be of interest to me, but it can't possibly be that fascinating to anyone else."

Jensen looks down at  hands and Jared can see them trembling a little. Jared knows immediately he's not going to like what's coming next.

"Well, I was thinking- you know, I was wondering, if maybe, you and I-"

"Woah!" Jared stands so fast the patio chair skids across the patio. He's got his hands in front of him as if to shield himself from the very horrible thing that's about to screw everything up. "Don't. Just don't go there."

Jensen looks hurt. "But-"

Jared shakes his head. "No 'buts'.  _ That _ is a very bad idea." And he would do anything to wipe that pained look from Jensen's face. Anything but  _ that _ .

" _ Jared _ , just hear me out." Jensen stands to better meet Jared's height.

Jared is shaking his head. He doesn't want to hear it. He doesn't want Jensen to lay out a tempting case for what hasn't even been said out loud yet. "No." Jared points at him. " _ You _ are not that kind of guy, Jensen."

"You don't  _ know _ what kind of guy I am."

"Yeah, I do. You're the kind of guy who dates with intent. You're planning your future. You want romance and memories. You're dreaming of your happily ever afterlife. You see the world with rose colored glasses."

Jensen stares at him with a very schooled expression, but Jared can see he's not wrong.

" _ I _ don't do romance. I see the world how it is. I'm a realist. I know who I am and I don't want to bother with expectations from other people. I'm not interested in planning out my future beyond next weekend. The only thing I absolutely know I want is to get out of this crap town and I know I can't do that if I'm tied down to someone."

He's so busy with his rant, he's caught completely unaware.

Jensen hands forcefully cup his cheeks and kisses him hard.

And it's so so good. Jensen tastes like the vanilla ice cream from earlier. He tastes like everything Jared's ever wanted and never thought he'd have. And for a moment, just a moment, he can't help himself, he takes ahold of Jensen's head and tilts it for better access. He licks deep inside, lets his tongue tangle with Jensen's, and it's so incredibly hot. 

Until he realizes what he's doing. He yanks away. His body protests as his mind finally takes control.

"No." Jared steps away. "I can't do this."

"But Jared, I know you want it. We both want it."

Jared is heading for the front door. "No, no, no. This is crossing the line, Jensen. Rule number one, don't fuck around with friends."

"Jared-"

"Gotta go. Curfew," Jared says abruptly. He only pauses to grab his shoes. He doesn't know where he'll put them on, but he has to get as far away from Jensen as possible. Damn it.

"At least put your shoes on," Jensen beseaches.

"Goodbye, Jensen." Jared heads down to his bike, where he sits on the curb to lace up his boots. He needs to get away.

Once he's on his bike, he realizes he's not ready to go home and deal with people, so he heads out of town to the one place he can be alone.

***

Emily doesn't look surprised when she climbs out of her dad's car to find Jared sitting on her stoop. She looks like she's been up all night and he can commiserate. He must look as miserable as he feels because she doesn't bother to hide her concern. She sits next to him and wraps an arm around his shoulder, pulling him in so he's resting his head on her shoulder.

"Did you know?" When she doesn't answer, he continues. "About Jensen's no-strings-attached plan?"

She sighs. "I didn't. Not until after." She squeezes him close.

"But you were plotting." It's not a question.

She hums. "I gave some advice, but...this isn't what I suggested."

"And what  _ did _ you suggest?"

"I told him that taking a direct approach would be a bad idea."

Jared scoffs. There's a sharp pain in his chest. He hasn't felt this way not in 8 years. He isn't going to cry. He doesn't cry. Not even when at ten he fell off Stephen's bike and skidded across the asphalt fast enough to rip his jeans and the skin below it. Not even when his dad left.

"Everything is screwed up. This is exactly what I didn't want to happen."

"It'll work out," she soothed.

He shakes his head. "How did this happen, Em?"

"It was bound to happen sometime, Jay. You couldn't keep everyone at arm's length forever. Someone had to slip through."

"I don't do relationships."

"Yep."

"Jensen needs someone who wants to be in a relationship."

"Probably."

"His family thinks I'm trash."

"You of all people should know you can't pick the family you're born into."

"I just don't know how this happened. This is all your fault."

"Hey, how is it my fault?"

"If you hadn't made me be nice to him, I'd still be content in my usual angsty life."

She squeezes him close again.

"If it makes you feel better, Jensen's terrified he's messed everything up too."

"Not really."

They sit like that for a while before her dad comes out and tells Jared Mrs. Amell is looking for him.

He gives Emily a kiss on the cheek and whispers "thanks."

***

Finals are coming and Jared's temporarily only working on weekends. So it's easy to avoid pretty much everyone. He pretty much spends his time either in his room or at school. 

On Wednesday, Mrs. Amell brings him a plate of fresh baked Snickerdoodles. He doesn't have the appetite so he just thanks her and sets them on his desk. She starts straightening his bed covers even though he's gone out of his way to keep his room spotless and his bed made good enough for the army. He doesn't want to risk their disappointment.

"So, what's going on?" she says nonchalantly.

"Finals," he says, trying to suppress his moodiness.

"Stephen, Emily, and Misha are studying in the basement."

"Yeah, I just...needed some alone time." He fiddles with his pencil.

"I can't help but notice your boyfriend hasn't been around this week. Did you have a falling out?"

"My boyfriend? Jensen is  _ not _ my boyfriend," he says adamantly.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I don't have a boyfriend. Or a girlfriend. I don't do relationships."

She hums, straightening a non-existent wrinkle in the bedspread. "If you say so."

"Mrs. A, Jensen is bourgeois rich, and a square, and an overachiever and everything I hate." He knows while he's saying it that while it might have been true a year ago, it hasn't been for some time.

"But, Jay, you hate everything," she smiles patiently.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he grumbles.

"Well, it means that maybe you like him, 'cus I kinda think you do," she says with a teasing voice.

"No. How could I like him? Because I don't like him. Because I can't like him," he rambles heatedly.

She hums again. "If you say so." She doesn't sound like she believes him. "Tell you what, bring that plate when you're done." She leaves him alone, closing the door behind her.

He slams his World History book shut and breaks his pencil in one hand. Damn it.

***

It's Friday and Jensen's walking home, because his brother ditched him. Just another crappy thing in an extremely long crappy week. The group has been overly comforting, but he has no illusions. Jared's not like Matthew. He's integral to the group, and he lives with Stephen. If it came down to a choice between them, they'd choose Jared.

To avoid the awkwardness, despite Emily pushing for him to go, Jensen's ditching DVD night. This is worse than when he went to the basement the first time after the breakup. He's just not ready to face Jared. Maybe after a little time passes, they can get to some sort of shaky friendship. 

He's been kicking the same rock the last three blocks when he reaches his own. When he looks up, he's surprised to see Jared leaning against his motorbike outside of his house. It seems to take forever to reach him. 

Before he can say anything, Jared says, "Jensen, put your books inside and get on the bike. We're going on a date."

Jensen is frozen in place while his brain processes that. Then he's moving. He can't get the front door open fast enough. He's back in less than 90 seconds. Jared's already sitting on the bike and Jared hands him a helmet.

Jensen's heart is hammering in his chest the whole way to Centerville. His brain is whirling out of control. He doesn't dare dwell on the the question of whether this is a date-date or a Jared-type date. He finds it doesn't matter right now because he's just happy to have any part of Jared.

They pull into the one Chinese place in town, appropriately named "The Chinese Palace." Jared waits until Jensen's off the bike before following suit. Once inside, Jared asks for a seat in a booth in the back corner. He hasn't said much of anything since they left Jensen's house and Jensen's stomach is turning in summersaults. 

Jared lets him pick which side of the booth he wants, which Jensen knows is a big deal because Jared always sits with his back to a wall. So, he chooses the other seat.

They order sodas, diet for Jensen, and wait for the waitress to walk away. Jared's knee is bouncing under the table.

"So…" Jensen trails off.

Jared looks up from where he's playing with the edge of the menu, and Jensen can see his nervousness echoed in Jared's face.

"So, uh, I thought-" Jared says but is interrupted by the waitress. They both scan the menu and Jared tells him to order anything he wants. So he picks something that's not the cheapest thing on the menu but not expensive. He notices Jared picks something simple and Jensen wonders how often he's been here.

Once the waitress is gone. Jared takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry I freaked out," he says quietly.

"No, it's my fault. I shouldn't have pushed things."

"I gotta be honest, Jensen. I don't know if- I mean, I doubt I'd have ever-"

"No, I get it. I stepped over a line."

"No, it's...okay. Really. It's just...I don't know how to do this."

Jensen shakes his head confused. "What? Go on a date?"

"Date with intent," Jared says softly.

Jensen realizes Jared is holding his hand across the table, gently rubbing circles in his palm. He stares at their hands for a moment before what Jared said sinks in.

"What?" Jensen whispers afraid he heard wrong.

"I've never done a relationship thing."

"Okay," Jensen says cautiously. He doesn't want to spook Jared again. He can feel the way Jared's hand is trembling.

"But I'm willing to try." Jared's staring at their hands and Jensen can't catch his eye.

Jensen wants to squee like a twelve year old girl and throw glitter and streamers. He's pretty sure that's the wrong thing to do at this moment, even if he had glitter and streamers.

"I'd like that," he says instead.

Jared finally looks up. "But I gotta be honest. This isn't one of your RomComs."

"I know," Jensen smiles reassuringly.

"And I'm not going to wake up one day and realize we were always meant to be together like that  _ Breakfast at Tiffany's _ or that Harry and Sally movie or  _ Clueless _ ."

"Okay." And Jensen has to suppress a laugh that apparently Jared's been paying attention to Emily's movie choices.

"And I don't like people in my business. So no PDA," Jared says.

"I agree with that." After his experiences with Matthew, Jensen is done with PDA at least for now.

"No cutesy nicknames," Jared adds.

Jared's searching his face so Jensen smiles encouragingly. Jensen assures,"We'll just go slow, right? Take it one day at a time. No expectations, no plans."

"One expectation, a promise," Jared says seriously.

"Okay?" Jensen tries not to tense up.

"I told you, you should stop dating dicks. You deserve better. I don't know if I can be what you deserve, but I'm gonna try, Jen. I'll never run around on you. If we're gonna do this, we're gonna do it right."

Jensen wants to cry. It's the most romantic thing anyone has ever said to him. Instead he whispers, "I wish this table wasn't between us right now. I really want to kiss you." He squeezes Jared's hand and Jared squeezes back. 

It's not until later he realizes Jared called him "Jen." He doesn't hate it.

***

Jared's not kidding when he said they were going to do things "right". Jensen expected they would go to the spot overlooking the the town after dinner. Instead, he takes Jensen to a movie where he holds Jensen's hand in the dark. Then right home. He gives Jensen a thorough kiss before sending him inside. Or rather stumbling inside, high on just the thought of him and Jared together.

He can't believe how lucky he is things turned out so well after his big screw up. Not to mention, Jared is really going to try a relationship. For him. He doesn't have to share Jared. Jared promised and Jensen believes him. 

He wants to call Emily and tell her everything, but he also wants to keep it to himself, savor it.

***

Jared's not surprised to see Emily waiting for him when he pulls his motorbike into the driveway. He hopes the dark hides his blush.

"So, how was it?" she says looking pleased with herself.

"I don't kiss and tell," he says, but the smile he can't conceal gives him away.

"It was good, right?" she shoves him lightly. "All that worrying for nothing."

"It's just one date, Em," he says.

"The first date." She's practically vibrating with glee. She claps. "I'm so excited for you."

"Oh, God," he groans. "I'm going to go before Mr. A grounds me again."

She grabs him and kisses his cheek. "You two are gonna be so good for each other, wait and see." Then she's gone.


	5. part IV

Finals come and go. Jensen's brother graduates from high school and gets a brand new car, leaving Jensen with the hand-me-down. The car comes in handy when he and Jared are trying to have alone time. They can't make out in the basement and now Jensen's not allowed in Jared's bedroom with the door closed.

They still haven't gone all the way much to Jensen's frustration. Jared says he wants it to be special, not a quick fumble in a backseat or on a blanket on the outlook. He says he wants to take his time, Jensen's stomach always swoops.

***

It's a couple of weeks into Summer when Jensen shows up at the garage. He's fidgeting. Jared pulls him further into the garage and out of view of any passerbys to give him a hello kiss. After he lets go, he gives Jensen a concerned look. "What's up? It's Summer, man. Drama is supposed to be on vacation."

Jensen pulls away and paces away. When he turns around, he looks nervous but determined. Jared can't think of any reason why he's going to like what he hears next.

"Okay, so someone saw us at the movies," Jensen says.

"So?" Jared shrugs.

"It got back to my parents."

"And?" Jared purses his lips. Jensen's parents are a point of contention between them. Jensen doesn't want Jared to pick him up if any of his family are home. Jared understands for the most part, but he wishes Jensen would stand up for him. He doesn't know why he cares. Their opinion isn't going to matter in the long run. He doesn't have any illusions of being welcomed at brunch at the country club. Heck, he hates the very idea of the country club.

"It's just that…" Jensen fidgets. "My dad says if I keep seeing you, he'll cut me off. No allowance, no car, no college money. I have to get job."

Jared puts his hands on his hips and frowns. He bites the side of his cheek to stop the string of obscenities wanting to spill out. He turns his head and counts to ten. "That's it then."

"Wait, what's it then?" Jensen says anxiously.

Jared looks him straight in the eye. "Jen, you can't give up your future for me."

"You don't believe in planning for the future," Jensen retorts.

"But you do," Jared insists. "And I believe in you."

Jensen blinks, mouth open.

"Jen, if you get a job, you won't be able to do all those extra-school things you need for your applications. You have a chance at getting out of here and becoming someone great. I can't be the one to hold you back."

Jensen's biting his bottom lip and Jared's too frustrated to be distracted by it. Jensen paces back and forth. "I don't want to give you up now that I found you," he says.

"This is just a high school romance. Chances are we won't make it through your first year of college."

"So, what? You want to give up because the odds are against us?"

Jared stops in his tracks. He doesn't want to give up Jensen at all. He doesn't think he really could. Jensen makes him want to be better.

Jensen stops in front of him. "Do you?"

Jared hangs his head. "No. I want to try to make it work," he mumbles.

Jensen nods. "I have an idea…"

Jared looks up at him with curiosity.

"Keep an open mind, okay?"

"Okay," Jared says slowly, warily.

"Let's just tell people we broke up," Jensen says like it's obvious.

Jared looks at Jensen like he's insane. "Uh-What? Jen, how is that different from breaking up?"

"Because we won't break up."

"You've lost me."

"We just have to be sneaky, right? It's not a whole lot different from what we've been doing. We've been keeping things low-key. We just have to double down."

"So...now I'm supposed to pretend I don't have a boyfriend?" And Jared can't believe he's actually using the word 'boyfriend' in reference to himself. "And we can't go anywhere or do anything together?"

Jensen scratches his cheek. "Well, that's where the sneaky part comes in. We just have to be careful only to be seen in public with someone else; you know, like we're just hanging out with friends."

"And these people know we're dating?"

"Yeah, you know, Stephen and Emily and Misha and Felicia. Probably the Amells'. People we know who'll keep our secret."

Jared scratches his head. "And this is going to fix the problem with your parents? Hiding and pretending to be something we're not."

"Well, Jared, you don't want me to get a job and quit my activities. And I don't want to stop seeing you. I can't think of a better solution. I mean, if it were up to me, I'd run around shouting how I love you, but-" Jensen's mouth slams shut and he has that deer in the headlights look.

Jared stares at him dumbstruck. His chest is pounding and he feels like it might be getting hard to breathe. There is is. The L-word. He's so not ready for that.

"Jared, Jared, Jay," Jensen is pushing him back into a chair. "Put your head between your legs and just breathe deep."

There's a loud whooshing sound in his ears. He can barely hear when Beaver come in asking what's happening.

"Jay, it's okay. I take it back, okay? I didn't mean to say it outloud."

Jared is vaguely aware of Beaver giving him a bag to breathe into. Jensen is rubbing circles on his back. He closes his eyes and concentrates on just breathing.

"Why don't you take him home? He's no use to me like this," Beaver says gruffly, but Jared knows he's being a softie.

"Yeah, okay...Jared, you think you can manage to get in the car by yourself or do you need help?" Jensen asks.

Jared waves Jensen off. "I can do it," he grumbles.  What he needs is a cigarette, but he's been trying to cut down.

Jared gets into Jensen's car and rests his head on the cool window as Jensen drives him back to the Amells'.

He runs his hands over his face as they pull in the driveway. "I'm sorry I freaked out," he says softly.

"No, it just popped out. I didn't even know I was gonna say it. I know we're not there yet," Jensen replies just as softly.

Jared turns to look at him. "Look, whatever we have to do to be together, I'll try it. I just don't want you to lose out because of me."

Jensen leans over and gives Jared a rather chaste kiss for them. "The only way I lose out is if I lose you."

Jared gives him a weak smile. "Call me later, yeah?"

"I promise," Jensen says.

Jared gets out of the car and takes a deep breath of fresh air before heading inside.

***

Jensen wants to watch the 4th of July fireworks from the outlook with Jared. However, his parents are suspicious. So, he's allowed to attend the Rickards-Amell annual barbeque during the day but he has to spend the evening and in particular the town fireworks show at the country club. The only reason he's allowed to go to the barbeque is Emily and Stephen's parents are local business owners, thus making them upper middle class. Since there's few actual upper class families in town, they're almost acceptable.

Even though they're together during the party, there are too many people around, and the consequences of Jensen's decision for them to pretend to just be friends begins to really set in. The limited PDA Jared had tolerated -- the hand-holding, they way Jared would link his finger through one of Jensen's belt loops when he's near, the sneaking around a corner for kisses that leave them both breathless -- gone. Jensen thought it would be easy because they were already not advertising their relationship, but now he's beginning to understand how hard it's going to be. He wants people to know he's with Jared, that Jared's his, that of all his choices, Jared chose him. He wants to be able to touch his boyfriend without worrying about what someone else is thinking.

And maybe that's the hardest part for Jared. Jared's spent most of his life acting like he doesn't give a shit what other people think and now he has do the opposite for Jensen.

Jared's moodiness during the day makes it clear to Jensen that he's unhappy, but Jensen doesn't have a solution that they can both agree on and where everyone's happy.

***

The following weekend, they finally get the alone time Jared's been waiting for. Stephen and his family are spending the weekend with his grandparents and since Grandma Amell has never taken to Jared -- hell, she barely tolerates Mrs. Amell either -- Jared gets to stay home. With a big empty house all to himself.

Jensen tells his parents he's spending the weekend with Emily, Felicia and Misha working on college applications. When they ask if Jared is going to be there, Jensen scoffs and asks if they really think Jared's going to get into a college. He's never been so glad for those 3 years in Drama Club, but he also feels guilty for disparaging his boyfriend. He wants Jared to apply to colleges but he knows better than to pick that fight again.

Emily agrees to cover for him so Jensen can spend Saturday night with Jared.

Jensen thought when Jared said he wanted to wait for them to to be together "to do things right", Jared was trying to be gentlemanly to distinguish their relationship from all the hookups he'd had. He was pleasantly wrong.

Jared has been waiting until they could have time and a place more romantic so they could take their time.

***

Jared hasn't been nervous about having sex since his first time. With Jensen, everything is different. It's not about getting off. Well, it's not all about that. It's about treating Jensen the way he deserves to be treated -- with respect, with adoration, with reverence.

Since they can't go out, Jared gets take-out from  Mozzarelli’s in Franklin so they can have a picnic in the living room complete with blanket, low-lighting and soft R&B music.

After dinner, he spends a long time exploring Jensen's mouth, giving him a preview of what's to come. Jensen kisses him so deeply, it's hard to know if he's actually breathing or Jensen's breathing for both of them. Their kisses are soft and gentle and slow mixed with fierce and hungry and frenzied. Jared can't get enough, wants to have this everyday, whenever he wants, whenever Jensen wants. Jared wants.

After a while, he gets to his feet and takes Jensen's hand. "C'mon," Jared says huskily. He wants more than kissing, has for longer than he'll ever admit to anyone. He wants Jensen naked in his bed, laid out and trembling beneath him as he worships Jensen with his hands and mouth. He leads Jensen up the stairs but he can't keep turning around to ensure he's there even though their fingers are entangled.

In his bedroom, Jared turns the R&B music on again. There's something about the low, slow rhythm that reminds him of sex. And he lights a couple of candles he borrowed from Emily much to her amusement. When he turns around, Jared sees Jensen watching him and he realizes Jensen's just as nervous as he is.

This time when Jared kisses Jensen, it's careful and full of intent. One hand cups Jensen's cheek. He pulls back enough to rest their foreheads together so they're sharing breaths. "Is this okay?" he whispers.

Jensen nods and breathes, "Yeah. God, yes."

Jared smiles against his lips and gives Jensen a chaste kiss before pulling away completely. Jensen tries to recapture his lips, stepping closer again but Jared stops him. Jared makes a small noise that sounds like "uh-uh." He wants this to be all about Jensen.

This time Jared kisses Jensen to distract him from being manipulated so his back is to the bed. His fingers slip beneath Jensen's t-shirt. He feels Jensen shudder as his fingers trace his spine and run over his stomach. 

Jensen reaches to touch Jared too, but Jared whispers, "No touching." Jensen whimpers.

Jared slides his hands up Jensen's sides, pushing his t-shirt up as does until Jensen has no choice but to lift his arms so Jared can pull his shirt over his head. He's seen Jensen without a shirt on before, but this is different. This time he can touch and taste and he intends to.

Jared guides Jensen back until he's sitting on the end of Jared's bed before he kneels in front of Jensen, spreading Jensen's legs so he can fit between them. Jared keeps his eyes on Jensen's. Jensen's breaths are shallow, his eyes half-lidded, and he's gripping the comforter to keep from touching.

Jared smiles, knowing there's heat and satisfaction written all over his face. He's making Jensen look like that. And this is just the beginning.

He leans forward and kisses Jensen's stomach just above his belt buckle. Jensen shudders and makes a small sound Jared wants to hear again.

Jared carefully removes Jensen's socks and shoes. You can't make that sexy. It's just something that has to be done. So, he follows up by gently holding Jensen's hips as he scatters barely-there kisses across Jensen's abdomen. He's careful not to go any lower yet. He wants to make this last, wants to build the anticipation, wants Jensen to remember no matter what happens to them.

He leans up and kisses Jensen hard, letting his tongue lick and thrust into Jensen's mouth. He feels his own body moving in time with the thrusts into Jensen's mouth, unconsciously seeking friction. He aches to be touched, to be inside Jensen, but it's not time. He schools his breathing, closes his eyes, tries to think of anything not sexual. 

Breathing hard, Jared turns his attention to Jensen's belt. He bites his lip as he loosens it. He pops open Jensen's fly and slowly lowers his zipper. Jensen lifts off the bed enough to help Jared shimmy his jeans and boxers off. And then Jensen's naked and Jared sucks in a breath at the sight.

"I knew you'd be gorgeous," he confesses.

"Jay…" Jensen's voice has a waver in it Jared's never heard before.

"Shhhh," Jared says. "I got you." He knows it's not fair he's still dressed, so he stands and quickly kicks his shoes off. He pulls his t-shirt off and tosses it on the floor. After removing his belt and unfastening his own jeans, in a well-practiced move, Jared yanks his jeans down removing his socks at the same time.

He grins smugly when Jensen sucks in a breath at the display. Jared knows he looks good, knows what he looks like and isn't ashamed. He lets Jensen take a minute to drink him in and attempt to reach for him before, shaking his head "no", he situates himself between Jensen's legs again.

Sliding one hand behind Jensen's head so he can move him as Jared wants, he kisses Jensen soft at first then bruising before brushing his lips across Jensen's jaw and trailing kisses down his throat. He takes his time sucking on Jensen's adam's apple. All the while, his other hand wraps around Jensen's already hard cock and begins slow, steady strokes. He's rewarded with moans better than any porno. Jensen pushes into his hand, almost coming off the bed.

"Want you so bad," Jared whispers against Jensen's ear.

"Please." Jensen's fingers brush Jared's own hard-on but Jared bats them away.

"Not yet," Jared promises. "I'm gonna make you feel so good, Jen. So good."

Jensen mumbles something unintelligible. He's making needy sounds, clawing at the comforter on the edge of the bed.

Just before Jared thinks Jensen might come, he takes his hand away despite Jensen's cry of disappointment.

"Scoot back," Jared directs and is pleased at how quickly Jensen obeys. Jared watches from the end of the bed until Jensen is laying the length of his bed, resting on his elbows, glassy eyes on Jared.

Jared bites his bottom lip as he climbs up onto the bed. He takes a moment to preen as Jensen's eyes trail from his face down his chest to his own hard cock where his attention seems to linger before shifting back to Jared's face. Jensen licks his kiss-swollen lips, those lips that have distracted Jared so many times.

Jared slowly stalks up the bed, Jensen laid out between his hands and legs. He settles between Jensen's legs to suckle Jensen's neck and steal more kisses. His hands roam everywhere he can touch, everywhere he's wanted to touch for months. 

He's so painfully, blissfully hard, it's almost agony when his dick grazes Jensen's. Someone moans and Jared can't tell who with his mouth covering Jensen's.

Jared can't delay the main event anymore if his unconscious humping is any indication. Jensen's begging isn't helping. Jared really wanted to suck Jensen, taste him, but that'll have to wait. They have all night.

With trembling hands, Jared reaches for the condom and lube on the nightstand.

"Tell me if I do anything you don't want, okay?" Jared nervously says, worried suddenly he'll break his promise to make it good for Jensen. He's only been with a guy a handful of times and those times had been frenzied, clumsy experiments, and Jared didn't care about him the way he cares about Jensen. He wants their first time to be amazing.

Breathlessly, Jensen says, "Anything. Everything, just...want you."

Jensen pulls him into a kiss and Jared lets him before he pulls back. He slicks three fingers. Then he begins slipping one, then two, then three fingers inside Jensen, watching as his fingers slide in and out, scissoring. He's finding it hard to breath as he watches Jensen's faces when he hits that sweet spot. It's so tempting to just bring Jensen off like this, watching how beautiful he looks, hearing the sounds Jensen makes. He doesn't think he'll ever get enough of this.

"Jay," Jensen moans. "Now, please. Need."

Jared can't take it anymore. His own  _ needandnow _ overrides his desire to go slow. Despite all of his experience with them, Jared fumbles with the condom but Jensen bats his hands away and rolls it on for him.

Jensen helps him line up, wraps his legs around Jared so his heels are digging in, clutching and claws at Jared's back as he pushes in. Jared holds his breath as he struggles to ease into Jensen. He can feel the sweat beading on his forehead from his effort to control himself.

Halfway in, Jared asks, "Okay?"

Jensen nods tightly. He's biting his bottom lip. "Come on, do it," he says.

Jared bends down and sucks Jensen's red, swollen lip as he pushes in until he's sheathed inside Jensen. He waits for them to adjust but Jensen's already writhing on his dick from below, driving him crazy. He's not going to last. He's not even going to remain in control.

He tries to start slow, pulling out and thrusting back in but Jensen's entreating him to go faster and harder. Jared can't deny him anything. He reaches between them and begins stroking Jensen, determined to bring Jensen to orgasm before he does. 

When Jensen comes with a shuddering cry, eyes rolling back in his head, tightening around Jared, Jared loses it too. His thrusts stutter inside Jensen as he spills into the condom. He can't remember ever coming this hard, not with anyone else.

After they've cleaned up and crawled under the covers, Jared wraps himself around a sleepy Jensen. Jensen kisses him lazily. "You were right, it was worth the wait," Jensen says before resting his head on Jared's chest.

Jared runs his fingers through Jensen's sweat-dry hair. He doesn't say it out loud, but he wishes he'd waited for Jensen all along.


	6. Epilogue

Finding time alone is increasingly difficult, especially once school starts. The stress of hiding their relationship wears on both of them. Jared complains he feels like "the dirty little secret." Like a mistress, he doesn't get to spend any of the holidays with Jensen.

Kristen starts going out with them occasionally to act as Jared's date. Now that Rachel's parents have sent her to stay with her grandparents after the pregnancy scare, Kristen is the head cheerleader. Thus, Jensen's parents accept her as an acceptable friend, and since she's "dating" Jared, he's allowed to be around The Ackles when she is.

Whenever they can, they sneak off to the overlook since it's hidden from the road. It's the only real alone time they get.

The Amells give Jared the gift of family for Christmas, making him officially a member of the family with adoption papers. Mrs. Amell says that way he knows he always has a home where people care about him.

They spend Prom at the overlook, which is fine by Jared, and Jensen doesn't miss it. They have a picnic dinner and dance under the moonlight. It's only the second time he's ever seen Jared dance and Jensen knows it's Jared's way of expressing his feelings since he still can't say the L-word.

By the end of April, Jensen manages to convince Jared to at least plan his life through September, a big accomplishment on his part.

Jared does not in fact leave town the minute they graduate or even when he officially turns 18 in July. As a result, he's been unsettled all summer.

But in August, after Jensen packs up his brand new car with the things he's taking to college, he drives over to the Amells. Jared throws his two duffle bags in the back of Jensen's car and sheepishly allows Mrs. Amell to hug him so hard he thinks a rib is broken. Secretly, he feels blessed because she's crying as much over him leaving as Stephen when he left a week earlier for college. Jensen takes the car with Jared following on his motorcycle to the Centerville U-Haul. They rent a trailer for the bike and hook it up to the car so they can take this road to Palo Alto  together. 

On the road to their future, Jared and Jensen let go of the chains of their past. There's no one to judge them, no one to tell them who to be. They can be anything. And now they can be together, no hiding.

**Author's Note:**

> The characters may be named after and inspired by real people, but everything is fictional. They are their own people with their own lives.
> 
> The towns where this fictional story takes place are not real beyond the fact that their names came from a list of town names reoccurring most often in the U.S.


End file.
